TO THE CHAPTER INVISIBLE
Marlin Briscoe 1945–2022 Trailblazing Football Player, Member of the College Football Hall of Fame
By Aaron Williams
He overcame his chemical dependency and worked in various positions. He eventually became a coach and teacher before spending 12 years as a top official of the Los Angeles Boys and Girls Club. He was also an active member of the First Presbyterian in Inglewood, CA, serving as the congregation’s represen- tative on the regional Black Advisory Committee. Among his honors, UNO inducted Briscoe into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 1975. In 2016, he was inducted into the College Football of Hall of Fame, and UNO unveiled a life-sized statue of him on the campus. In 2014, his home- town of Omaha renamed a street near his old high school after him. Finally, in 2021, the Denver Broncos named the Marlin Briscoe Diversity Coaching Fel- lowship in his honor. Brother Marlin O. Briscoe, Jr., is survived by daughters Angela Marriott and Rebecca Briscoe. “All I wanted was a chance to showcase my skills.”
T railblazing professional foot- ball player Marlin O. Briscoe, Jr. (Alpha Eta 1965) entered the Chapter Invisible on June 27, 2022. Known on the football field as “Marlin the Magician,” Briscoe was a two-time Super Bowl champion, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, and the first African Ameri- can to start as quarterback in a major professional football league. Briscoe’s role in professional football history paved the way for African American quarterbacks that entered the NFL soon after him, such as James Harris, Joe Gilliam, and Doug Williams to modern-era quarterbacks Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon, Donovan McNabb, and Randal Cunningham to today’s star quarterbacks of color such as Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray. Marlin Oliver Briscoe, Jr. was born September 10, 1945, in Oakland, CA to the late Marlin, Sr. and Geneva A. Briscoe. His family moved to Omaha, NE, when Briscoe was a child. He became an exceptional multi-sport athlete at Omaha South High School, graduating in 1963. Briscoe attended the University of Omaha (now the Uni- versity of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO)). He joined the football team at UNO, earning the starting quarterback job. During his four-year collegiate career, Briscoe led UNO to a 27-11 record, including three conference champion- ships. He set 22 records, including 52 touchdown passes, 4,935 yards pass- ing, a 55 percent completion record,
and a career total offense record of 6,253. He also earned National Associa- tion of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American honors. The Denver Broncos of the American Football League (AFL) selected 5’ 11’ Briscoe in the 14th round of the NFL/ AFL draft. The Broncos initially had Briscoe playing defensive back. Due to injuries to Broncos quarterbacks, the team moved Briscoe to the quarter- back position. He started five games as Broncos quarterback, winning two. He completed 41% of his passing, throw- ing for 1697 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. His 14 touchdowns remain a franchise record to date. The Broncos did not provide Briscoe a shot to compete for the quarterback job in 1969; thus, Briscoe asked for his release. He signed with the Buffalo Bills, where he played wide receiver exclusively. He played three seasons for the Bills before moving to the Miami Dolphins in 1972. The Dolphins went undefeated in his first season with the team and won Super Bowl VII. Briscoe was a key contributor on the Dolphins team that repeated as Super Bowl champions the following year. Briscoe played for three other NFL teams before retiring after the 1976 season. After his playing days, Briscoe moved to southern California, where he lived the remainder of his life. He worked as a bond broker but developed a drug habit that got Briscoe in legal trouble.
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