OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Long before there was “Mahomes Magic," there was the magician. His name was Marlin Briscoe and he changed the game of football.
Born in South Omaha in the mid-1940s, Briscoe lived and breathed the sport. He played through high school at Omaha South, and at Omaha University, which is now the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
“He had the intellect. He had the ability bar none,” Roger Sayers, Briscoe’s friend and mentor said.
Sayers, another highly successful athlete from UNO, remembers study sessions with Briscoe.
“We had to do something after football; you had to gain people's respect,” Sayers said.
In 1968, he was drafted by the Denver Broncos and made history as the first black quarterback to start in an NFL game, but his rise was cut short.
The following year he was traded to the Buffalo Bills and was moved back to wide receiver after having a successful year in Denver.
Despite that, Briscoe went on to have continued success in professional football. He was part of the 1972 Miami Dolphins team, the only one with an undefeated season.
Aside from the discrimination he faced in the league, his real challenges came after retiring from football.
These, too, were challenges he would overcome, later he moved to California and served as director of the local Boys and Girls club.
“Him playing football opened doors and paved the way,” Eric Ewing, director Great Plains Black History Museum. “What he did after that also is part of that story.”
Briscoe passed away, at the age of 76 in June 2022 — eight months before two black quarterbacks would take their team to a Super Bowl.
Ewing shared what Briscoe might think of seeing the two face off.
“He would say job well done, and happy to be one of those individuals that paved the way for others,” Ewing said.
Sayers said the work to increase representation in professional football is still ongoing.
Today, black quarterbacks only make up about 17% of all quarterbacks in the NFL. Sayers also said he'd like to see changes made at the coaching level to better reflect the diversity of football players.
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