By: Associated Press
Marlin Briscoe, the first Black starting quarterback in the American Football League, has died at the age of 76. Briscoe's daughter, Angela Marriott, told The Associated Press that he died of pneumonia at a hospital in Norwalk, California on Monday. Briscoe was a star quarterback at Omaha University 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” ended up starting five games that year.
Briscoe was the runner-up for AFL Rookie of the Year after passing for 1,589 yards and 14 touchdowns and rusing for 308 yards and 3 TD's. The Broncos released him the next season and he went on to become an All Pro Receiver for the Buffalo Bills and also played on two Super Bowl winning teams with the Miami Dolphins. Briscoe was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016.