gold star for USAHOF

8. Marion Motley

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8. Marion Motley

While there were African Americans in pro football before Marion Motley, they had been phased out, but this was about to change after World War II.  Motley tried out for the Cleveland Browns of the new All-American Football Conference, and he made the team and would become of the best players in team history.

Motley was an excellent rusher who won the AAFC Rushing Title in 1948 and the NFL Rushing Title in 1950, and he was a large part of the Cleveland juggernaut that won all four AAFC Championships and the 1950 NFL Championship.  He was also incredibly valuable as a blocker and helped open up Otto Graham's passing game. 

Motley had 5,827 Yards From Scrimmage, an excellent total for his era.  In 2010, Motley was part of the first group of former Browns named to their Ring of Honor.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Fullback
  • Acquired: Signed before the 1946 Season.
  • Departed: Retired after the 1954 Season.
  • Games Played: 99
  • Notable Statistics:

    78 Games Started
    826 Rushing Attempts
    4,712 Rushing Yards
    31 Rushing Touchdowns
    85 Receptions
    1,107 Receiving Yards
    7 Receiving Touchdowns
    0 Pass Completions
    3 Pass Attempts
    1 Punt Return
    0 Punt Return Yards
    48 Kick Returns
    1,122 Kick Return Yards
    2 Interceptions
    48 Interception Return Yards
    1 Interception Return Touchdown
    N/A Approximate Value*

    10 Playoff Games
    80 Rushing Attempts
    571 Rushing Yards
    5 Rushing Touchdowns
    9 Receptions
    50 Receiving Yards
    1 Punt Return
    2 Punt Return Yards
    5 Kick Returns
    105 Kick Return Yards
    0 Pass Completions
    1 Pass Attempt

    *Approximate Value was not a stat when Motley played.

  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    NFL Champion (1950)
    AAFC Champion (1946, 1947, 1948 & 1949)
    First Team All-Pro (1948* & 1950)
    Pro Bowl (1950)
    Most Rushing Yards (1948* & 1950)
    Most Rushing Touchdowns (1949*)
    Most Yards per Rushing Attempt (1950)
    Most Rushing Yards per Game (1948*)

    *AAFC

Last modified on Friday, 23 September 2022 16:55

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