Former Patriot, First Black QB To Start AFL Game, Marlin Briscoe Passes Away
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Former American Football League quarterback and wide receiver Marlin Briscoe passed away on Monday. He was 76 years old.
According to a report from the Associated Press, Briscoe’s daughter confirmed his death from pneumonia at a hospital in Norwalk, California.
An Omaha, Nebraska native and star quarterback at Omaha University, Briscoe was drafted as a cornerback by the Denver Broncos in the 14th round of the 1968 AFL Draft. However, he informed the team he would return home if he couldn’t have a tryout to play quarterback.
The Broncos agreed, and Briscoe wound up starting five games for the team under center. He became the AFL’s first African American starting quarterback that season and was runner-up for the league’s rookie of the year after passing for 1,589 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushing for 308 yards and three touchdowns.
After not getting a chance to be the Broncos quarterback in 1969, Briscoe asked for his release and converted to wide receiver for the remainder of his career across five NFL franchises following the merger.
Briscoe won a pair of Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins in the early 1970s and finished his career with the New England Patriots in 1976.
As a wide receiver, Briscoe recorded 224 receptions for 3,537 and 30 touchdowns in eight seasons, earning his first and only Pro Bowl selection in 1970.
In 2016, Briscoe earned induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Today is a sad day for me. One of my Idols growing up, Marlin Briscoe, passed away. He was one of a few Black QBs of the late 60s that gave me the inspiration that one day I could play QB as a professional. Marlin was the 1st Black QB to start in the AFL.
— Warren Moon (@WMoon1) June 28, 2022
R.I.P. Marlin Briscoe. The only player to have been intercepted by a Patriot player and later to have caught a touchdown as a Patriot receiver. You will be missed. pic.twitter.com/MUJeyvGfpz
— Honest??Larry (@HonestLarry1) June 27, 2022
https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/1541557672830349318?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1541557672830349318%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbssports.com%2Fnfl%2Fnews%2Fmarlin-briscoe-american-pro-footballs-first-black-starting-qb-and-member-of-undefeated-dolphins-dies-at-76%2F
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