Motley, Marion (1920-1999), was an outstanding American professional football player. Along with Woody Strode, Kenny Washington, and his Cleveland Browns teammate Bill Willis, Motley was one of four players who permanently broke football’s color barrier in 1946, opening professional football to Black players. Black players had played in the early history of professional football, but all had been forced out by 1934.
Motley played fullback during his professional career. He was agile enough to dodge defenders, but he was also strong enough to break tackles. He did not shy away from hits and often ran defenders over.
Motley was born on June 5, 1920, near Albany, Georgia. He grew up in Canton, Ohio, where he attended Canton McKinley High School. Motley attended South Carolina State College, a historically Black college, in 1939. He then played for the University of Nevada, Reno, from 1940 to 1942. In Reno, Motley played fullback on offense, linebacker on defense, and kick returner. According to local accounts, he was also a skilled kicker and passer.
Motley joined the United States Navy in 1944 and was stationed at Naval Station Great Lakes near Chicago, Illinois. There, he played football under head coach Paul Brown.
In 1946, the Cleveland Browns began play as part of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), a rival to the National Football League (NFL). Brown was named head coach and general manager and recruited Motley to the team. Motley anchored the powerful offense alongside quarterback Otto Graham. The Browns dominated the AAFC, winning championships all four years of the league’s existence.
In 1950, the Browns and two other teams from the AAFC joined the NFL. That year, Motley led the NFL with 810 rushing yards and was named to the Pro-Bowl team. The Browns went on to win the 1950 NFL championship game.
Motley was plagued by injuries in his later career, likely the result of his aggressive style of play. He left the Browns before the 1954 season. The following year, the Browns, who still owned rights to him as a player, traded him to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Motley played a few games for the Steelers in 1955 before retiring. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968. Motley died on June 27, 1999, in Cleveland.
