Opinion: Don't know Marlin Briscoe? Too bad. You owe him if you're an NFL fan
February 23, 2020
He played 11 games, started five and threw 14 touchdown passes, a Broncos rookie record. But in the offseason, the Broncos held quarterback meetings without him. He was eventually traded to Buffalo in the offseason, where he was switched to wide receiver.
Briscoe never played quarterback again.
It will always be a sore spot, but he recognizes his role in history. Every football fan in America should recognize his role in history.
He was able to make progress that eluded Wilburn Hollis and Onree Jackson and Eldridge Dickey.
“Born too soon,” Harris said of all of them.
Briscoe played well enough in 1968 that Harris was drafted in 1969. Five years later, with the L.A. Rams, Harris became the first black starter to win a playoff game. A little more than a decade later, the team he beat, Washington, won a Super Bowl with Doug Williams.
Today, the NFL has Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott, Deshaun Watson, Jacoby Brissett, Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Dwayne Haskins.
Briscoe got it all started.
“We all came from different generational situations,” Briscoe said. “One influences the other until we get to this point.”
You owe Marlin Briscoe.