Marlin Briscoe, 1st Black starting QB in AFL, dies at 76

OMAHA, Neb. -- Marlin Briscoe, who became the first Black starting quarterback in the American Football League more than 50 years ago, 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, an Omaha, Nebraska, native, was a star quarterback at Omaha University before the Denver Broncos drafted him as a cornerback in the 14th round in 1968. Briscoe told the team he’d return home to become a teacher if he couldn’t get a tryout at quarterback. Denver agreed to an audition, and the 5-foot-10 dynamo nicknamed “The Magician” made the starting lineup on October 6.

Briscoe started five games that season. He was runner-up for AFL rookie of the year after passing for 1,589 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushing for 308 yards and three scores.

Denver didn’t give him a chance to compete for the quarterback job in 1969, so he asked to be released. He became a Pro Bowl receiver with the Buffalo Bills and won two Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins. He was a receiver on the 1972 Dolphins team that finished with a perfect season.

Briscoe was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016.

UNO Chancellor Dr. Joanne Li and UNO Vice Chancellor of Athletics Adrian Dowell issued a joint statement in response to Briscoe's death:

"The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and Omaha Athletics are saddened to hear of the passing of Marlin Briscoe. True to the Maverick Spirit, Briscoe blazed new trails in the American Football League becoming its first black starting quarterback in an era marked by movements for racial equity and civil rights. 'Marlin the Magician,' as he was known, went on to win two Super Bowls, including as a leading receiver on the only undefeated team in the history of the National Football League, and became UNO's only inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame. His success followed him off the field through a career in finance, volunteering, and community engagement. A statue of Briscoe on UNO's campus next to Al F. Caniglia Field where he played serves as an enduring reminder of his legacy both on and off the field. Our hearts go out to the Briscoe family during this difficult time."

Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts, who was previously the AD at UNO, tweeted Monday that Briscoe was an "incredible athlete and wonderful person."