NORWALK, Calif. (AP) — Marlin Briscoe, who became the first Black starting quarterback in the American Football League more than 50 years ago, died Monday He was 76.

His daughter, Angela Marriott, told The Associated Press that Briscoe died of pneumonia at a hospital in Norwalk, California. He had been hospitalized with circulation issues in his legs.

Briscoe, an Omaha, Nebraska, native, was a star quarterback for Omaha University before the Denver Broncos drafted him as a cornerback in the 14th round in 1968. Briscoe told the team he’d return home to become a teacher if he couldn’t get a tryout at quarterback. Denver agreed to an audition, and the 5-foot-10 dynamo nicknamed “The Magician” nearly rallied the Broncos to victory as a reserve against the Boston Patriots on Sept. 29 before earning the historic start on Oct. 6.

Briscoe started five games that season. He was runner-up for AFL rookie of the year after passing for 1,589 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushing for 308 yards and three scores.

Briscoe was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016, and the Broncos named a diversity coaching fellowship in his honor before the 2021 season.

MLB HANDS OUT PUNISHMENT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels interim manager Phil Nevin was suspended 10 games and Seattle Mariners outfielder Jesse Winker received a five-game ban from Major League Baseball for their roles in a benches-clearing brawl during the second inning of Sunday’s game.

Nevin and Winker were two of 12 players or coaches suspended between the teams, according to an MLB release Monday night.

Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford received five games, Angels pitchers Ryan Tepera and Andrew Wantz were suspended for three, and Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez, Angels reliever Raisel Iglesias and major league interpreter Manny Del Campo received two games.

Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon, who is out for the rest of the season after undergoing wrist surgery, will be suspended five games when he returns from the injured list. For now, he is prohibited from sitting on the bench for the next seven games.

FORMULA 1, ESPN FINALIZE DEAL

LONDON (AP) — Formula 1 is close to renewing its United States broadcast rights with ESPN — for an exponentially higher price — but the sides have not finalized a deal, according to two people with knowledge of the negotiations.

The sides are working on a three-year contract, the people said. Although the numbers have not been finalized, ESPN would pay something in the range of $75 million to 90 million per year, one of the people said.

The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss financial matters and the contract is still being negotiated.

ESPN did not pay any rights fees in 2018 when NBC Sports Group dropped F1 after five seasons, leaving the series without a U.S. home.

ESPN has paid $5 million per year from 2019-22, meaning the price tag to keep F1 will be up to 18 times higher. Ratings have dramatically improved over the past five seasons as the sport’s popularity grows stateside.