Marlin Briscoe 1st black starting QB in AFL passed away at the age of 76

[PortCityProphet]

(AP) - Marlin Briscoe, the first Black starting quarterback in the American Football League, died Monday.

His daughter, Angela Marriott, told The Associated Press that Briscoe, 76, died of pneumonia at a hospital in Norwalk, California. He had been hospitalized with circulation issues in his legs.

Briscoe was a star quarterback at Omaha University, now the University of Nebraska-Omaha, before the Denver Broncos drafted him as a cornerback in the 14th round in 1968.

He told the team he wanted a tryout at quarterback. Denver agreed to an audition, and the 5-foot-10 dynamo nicknamed “The Magician” made the starting lineup on Oct. 6.

Briscoe played for other teams in the AFL and NFL, winning two Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins.


A trailblazer gone

 

[PortCityProphet]

My G had a clean fade

 

[kingofnyc]

RIP

 

[Cel 510 kid ados forever]

Rip

A trailblazer

Great player

Rip

 

[PortCityProphet]

dude called his own shots

The Magician had one more trick up his sleeve, though, in hoping to prove his quarterbacking skills. His college coach, Al Caniglia, told him that Denver was one of a few teams that practices in view of fans and media, Briscoe later told Rhoden. Caniglia encouraged Briscoe to try to get a tryout at the position in hopes of drumming up media or fan support.

"They told me straight out that they were going to draft me, but they were going to draft me as a defensive back," Briscoe says. "And it was nothing I could do, because there was no Black quarterbacks in the pros. … I negotiated my contract, and I told the Broncos one thing. I said, I'll play defensive back, but you've got to give me a three-day trial at quarterback. They thought I was crazy. How are you gonna be drafted that late and demand where you play? I said, Well, that's my desire. I believe I can play the position."
The Broncos' decision-makers accepted the gambit.

yooo this right here is some real shyt, to have people like this in your life

Every day, Eric Crabtree checked the mail.
Early in the morning, after he had arrived at the Broncos' headquarters, he sifted through the letters addressed to players. Maybe there was a note here and there for him, but that's not what he was looking for. He was searching for envelopes addressed to Marlin Briscoe.

Fan mail was fine. He left those. He was looking for the death threats.
It wasn't a constant stream. Some days he'd take a peek and leave, happy to be empty-handed. On the bad days, he took what he found and deposited it in the trash.
"He got not that much, but enough to demoralize you," Crabtree says. "… I was trying to protect him."

this is a great write up on him and his life definitely worth the time to read

The Making of The Magician: Marlin Briscoe's pioneering path in pro football

In 1968, Marlin Briscoe became the first Black starting quarterback in modern pro football in America. This is the story of how he came to achieve that, and the legacy he left.

www.denverbroncos.com

 

[holidayinn21]

RIP

 

[JP_614]

RIP

 

[mozichrome]

rip to the brother

 

[NormanConnors]

RIP

 

[DaMos Supreme]

R.I.P.

 

[Poetical Poltergeist]

RIP

 

[Hey_zeus]

RIP Pioneer

 

[Poetical Poltergeist]

 

[Poetical Poltergeist]

 

[Poetical Poltergeist]