Tuesday, November 11, 2014

1971 Profile: Marlin Briscoe

Wide Receiver
No. 86
Omaha
"Dennis Shaw's favorite target last season was Marlin Briscoe, who wound up as the AFC's leading pass receiver with 57 catches for 1,036 yards and eight touchdowns, and was named to the Pro Bowl squad.
Briscoe, who in 1968 started his professional career as the NFL's first black starting quarterback with Denver, joined the Bills the following year and was switched to wide receiver. The 5-11, 178-pounder, considered too small to play quarterback, adapted to his new job easily, catching 32 passes in his first two seasons with the Bills and earning the nickname 'Marlin the Magician' because of his flair for making the big play.
He has fine body control and leaping ability. And, of course, in a pinch Marlin can always fill in at quarterback."

-Brenda Zanger, Pro Football 1971

"An unlikely pass catching leader in the AFC, having been in the position for just a year. Briscoe set 22 passing and total offense records for Omaha and was expected to become the first regular black quarterback in the pros. He did get to start for the Denver Broncos in 1968, but the experiment failed. Ironically, his best day as a pro quarterback was against the Bills- four touchdown passes and 335 yards.
Buffalo picked up Marlin as a free agent and wide receiver prospect. He ranked twenty-third among league receivers in his initial year at the position by making 32 receptions. Then came 1970 and conference leadership with 57 receptions. All-AFC, he has the legs as well as the hands, averaging an impressive 18.2 yards per reception. He's nicknamed 'Marlin the Magician' because of his big plays. He still wants to play quarterback some day but feels his height [5-11] is against him.
Marlin is a pool-shooting and crossword puzzle buff. He used to have his own sports show on radio in Omaha."

-John Devaney, The Complete Handbook of Pro Football (1971 Edition)

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