Reggie Gilliam Bio
Reggie Travon Gilliam (born August 20, 1997) is an American professional football fullback and special teamer for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Toledo Rockets and signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent following the 2020 NFL draft. Gilliam played for the Bills from 2020 to 2025 and helped the Bills rank top 10 in the NFL for total rushing yards every season he played with the team before signing with the Patriots during the 2026 off-season.
Standing 6 feet 0 inches tall and listed at 244 pounds, Gilliam is known for his versatility as a lead blocker, pass catcher, and core special teamer. He has worn jersey number 44 and built a reputation as a reliable role player on contending AFC rosters.
Early Life and Background
Reggie Travon Gilliam was born on August 20, 1997, in Columbus, Ohio. He grew up in the Columbus area and attended Westland High School in nearby Galloway, Ohio, where he developed into a multi-purpose offensive player. His high school program gave him early exposure to a variety of skill positions, laying the foundation for his future role as a hybrid fullback and tight end.
As a senior at Westland, Gilliam rushed for 565 yards and eight touchdowns on 87 carries and added 18 receptions for 280 yards and three touchdowns. His production earned him first-team All-Ohio Capital Conference Central Division honors. Those numbers also caught the attention of college programs looking for athletic, position-flexible players, and he ultimately committed to continue his career at the University of Toledo.
Path to American Football
Gilliam joined the Toledo Rockets as a walk-on and spent four seasons with the program from 2016 to 2019. He lined up at both tight end and fullback on offense while also contributing on special teams, a workload that helped him grow into the versatile role he would later fill in the NFL. His willingness to embrace blocking, catching, and special teams work became a defining trait of his career path.
As a junior in 2018, Gilliam led the nation with four blocked kicks, a performance that earned him second-team All-Mid-American Conference recognition. He finished his collegiate career with 18 receptions for 153 yards and three touchdowns along with six blocked kicks. Although he went undrafted in the 2020 NFL draft, his special teams resume and positional flexibility created an opportunity at the next level.
Reggie Gilliam Career
Early Career (2020–2021)
Reggie Travon Gilliam was signed by the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent on April 25, 2020. He made the Bills’ 53-man roster out of training camp as a replacement for veteran fullback Patrick DiMarco, who had been released during the 2020 offseason. Gilliam made his NFL debut in the Bills’ season opener against the New York Jets on September 13, 2020.
The following week, on September 20, 2020, Gilliam caught a one-yard touchdown pass from Josh Allen for his first career reception in a 31–28 win over the Miami Dolphins. He finished his rookie season with two receptions for 16 yards and a touchdown, plus two tackles and a forced fumble on special teams. In 2021, he added three rushing attempts for three yards, three receptions for 23 yards, and three tackles while continuing to handle a growing special teams role.
Buffalo Bills Breakthrough (2022–2024)
On August 7, 2022, Gilliam signed a two-year, $5.2 million contract extension with the Bills, a clear sign that the organization viewed him as a long-term piece of its offense and special teams units. That season he caught eight passes for 69 yards and a touchdown and recorded three tackles, contributing to a Bills rushing attack that consistently ranked among the league’s best. His ability to set the edge in the run game helped Buffalo’s lead runners find lanes in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
During the 2023 season, Gilliam was named American Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 11 after forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff. He finished that regular season with one reception for three yards along with three tackles and a forced fumble. In 2024, he played in 15 games, logging 139 offensive snaps and 330 special teams snaps, and recorded three rushing attempts for seven yards along with four tackles. Throughout his Buffalo tenure, the Bills ranked top 10 in the NFL in total rushing yards every season he was on the roster.
New England Patriots Era (2026–Present)
On March 11, 2025, Gilliam re-signed with the Bills on a one-year, $2 million contract, keeping him in Buffalo for one more season. The following off-season, however, he reached an agreement with a new AFC East rival. On March 12, 2026, Gilliam signed with the New England Patriots on a three-year, $12 million contract, signaling a fresh chapter in his career.
Now wearing number 44 for New England, Gilliam is expected to bring the same lead-blocking, tight end-style receiving, and special teams toughness that defined his time in Buffalo. His arrival gives the Patriots an established fullback and a proven contributor on kickoff and coverage units. The move also keeps him in the AFC East, setting up two divisional matchups per year against his former Bills teammates.
Driving Style and Strengths
On the field, Gilliam is valued for his physicality as a lead blocker, his sure hands as a short-area pass catcher, and his reliability on special teams. He has shown the toughness to finish runs in the middle of the field and the football intelligence to line up across multiple positions within the same formation. His work on kickoff and punt units has produced impactful plays, including forced fumbles that have changed field position for his teams.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Reggie Travon Gilliam’s signature moments are his first NFL touchdown reception from Josh Allen in 2020, his AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor in 2023, and his transition from undrafted free agent to multi-year, multi-million-dollar contract holder. His run of helping the Bills post top 10 rushing totals every season from 2020 through 2025 stands out as a quiet but consistent team accomplishment.
Reggie Gilliam Career Wins
As a fullback and special teamer, Reggie Travon Gilliam’s statistical impact is measured in contributions to team success rather than headline numbers. Across his NFL career through the 2025 season, he has recorded 14 rushing yards on a 1.8-yard average, 16 receptions for 135 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns, 28 total tackles, and two forced fumbles. His blocks and special teams tackles have been a steady part of winning football for the Bills and, now, the Patriots.
Buffalo Bills Highlights
Gilliam spent six seasons with the Buffalo Bills from 2020 to 2025, evolving from a rookie replacement for Patrick DiMarco into a respected veteran. His most memorable individual moment came on September 20, 2020, when he caught his first career touchdown pass from Josh Allen against the Miami Dolphins. He later added an AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award in 2023 and a second-team All-MAC nod from his college resume that continued to shape his pro profile.
Other Wins & Performances
At the collegiate level, Gilliam earned second-team All-Mid-American Conference honors in 2018 after leading the nation with four blocked kicks as a junior at Toledo. He capped his Rockets career with 18 receptions for 153 yards and three touchdowns along with six blocked kicks, a balanced stat line that reflected the blocking-and-catching hybrid role he would carry into the NFL.
Reggie Gilliam Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Reggie Travon Gilliam grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and attended Westland High School in nearby Galloway. Public details about his parents and immediate family remain limited, and he has generally kept his personal and family background private outside of the basic biographical information available through official team and league sources.
Personal Life
Off the field, Gilliam maintains an active presence on social media, including a Twitter account under the handle @_1sledge. He has focused his public life on his professional football career rather than on a widely covered personal or family narrative, and verified public details about a spouse or children are not available.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked the final year of Reggie Travon Gilliam’s original run with the Buffalo Bills, following a one-year, $2 million re-signing on March 11, 2025. He continued to handle his familiar role as a fullback, tight end, and core special teamer, contributing to a Bills offense that once again ranked among the NFL’s top 10 in total rushing yards. His experience and consistency gave Buffalo a reliable option in short-yardage and heavy-personnel situations.
On the special teams side, Gilliam remained a steady presence on kickoff and coverage units, helping set the tone for a Bills team that continued to contend in the AFC. While his personal statistics stayed modest, his snap count and blocking work helped fuel a productive run game and supported a strong overall team performance.
Following the 2025 season, Gilliam’s career took a new turn when he signed a three-year, $12 million contract with the New England Patriots on March 12, 2026. The agreement signaled confidence from New England in his blocking, receiving, and special teams ability. Looking ahead, the move positions him to play a key complementary role for the Patriots while keeping him in the AFC East, where he will face his former Bills teammates twice a year.
