When I began watching Pro Football in the late 1960s, African-American quarterbacks were not rare, they were, until 1968, non-existent.
Marlin Briscoe, in1968, became the first American Professional African-American quarterback after being drafted as a cornerback. He would start 5 games that year and was runner-up for Rookie Of The Year in the AFL.
Briscoe asked and received his release the next year when he found out he would not compete for the Broncos starting quarterback position. He would go on to play for the Buffalo Bills as a wide receiver. Brisco would continue his career as a wide receiver with several other teams, including the Miami Dolphins, with whom he won 2 Super Bowls including the team's unbeaten season in 1972.
Briscoe died Monday (June 27th, 2022), reportedly of pneumonia.
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