ivotuk
Well-known member
The first Black Quarterback played in the AFL for the 1968 Broncos and was 5' 10". 40+ years later they're saying Russell Wilson is too short?!
A new mark for Black quarterback matchups in the NFL
Week 2 will feature the most contests between Black starting QBs – ever
Briscoe played quarterback in college but, as was the standard wrongheaded policy of the time, the Denver Broncos drafted him as a defensive back because the AFL and NFL had no interest in Black men throwing passes.
Undeterred, Briscoe pushed for an opportunity to compete at quarterback and was impressive. With the Broncos reeling at 0-3 to start the 1968 season and without better options, they made a quarterback change, inserting the 5-foot-10, 177-pound rookie into the starting lineup.
That season, he played in 11 games, including five starts, and passed for 1,589 yards with 14 touchdowns. An elusive runner, Briscoe also rushed for 308 yards (with an impressive 7.5-yard average) and three touchdowns. He finished second in voting for AFL Rookie of the Year. Then, the Broncos pushed him aside. Briscoe was never given a reason for the team’s decision, but there is one word to aptly describe the situation: racism.
https://theundefeated.com/features/a-ne ... n-the-nfl/
A new mark for Black quarterback matchups in the NFL
Week 2 will feature the most contests between Black starting QBs – ever
Briscoe played quarterback in college but, as was the standard wrongheaded policy of the time, the Denver Broncos drafted him as a defensive back because the AFL and NFL had no interest in Black men throwing passes.
Undeterred, Briscoe pushed for an opportunity to compete at quarterback and was impressive. With the Broncos reeling at 0-3 to start the 1968 season and without better options, they made a quarterback change, inserting the 5-foot-10, 177-pound rookie into the starting lineup.
That season, he played in 11 games, including five starts, and passed for 1,589 yards with 14 touchdowns. An elusive runner, Briscoe also rushed for 308 yards (with an impressive 7.5-yard average) and three touchdowns. He finished second in voting for AFL Rookie of the Year. Then, the Broncos pushed him aside. Briscoe was never given a reason for the team’s decision, but there is one word to aptly describe the situation: racism.
https://theundefeated.com/features/a-ne ... n-the-nfl/
