Charlie Brackins
Charlie "Choo Choo" Brackins (January 12, 1932 – June 1, 1991) is a former quarterback in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers during the 1955 NFL season.
Biography
Brackins was born on January 12, 1932 in Dallas, Texas.[1] He attended Lincoln High in Dallas.
Professional career
He played college football at Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas from 1951 to 1955. He was a three-year starter for legendary head football coach Billy Nicks and led the Prairie View Panthers to 33 victories in 37 games in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). He was a big tall passer at 6’2" and 205 pounds.[2] Brackins was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the sixteenth round of the 1955 NFL Draft,[3] making him the first HBCU alumnus to play quarterback in the NFL. He played in only one game in during the 1955 season, in the closing minutes of a game against the Cleveland Browns on October 23, 1955. Green Bay lost the game 41-10 and Brackins threw two incomplete passes.[4] The Packers placed Brackins on waivers after that game. Brackins had tried out as a defensive back with other teams but he would never get another chance to play in the league. Brackins died from cancer in 1991.
In 2013, Brackins was elected into the Black College Football Hall of Fame.[5]
References
- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/BracCh20.htm
- http://www.bqb-site.com/bqbhist.htm
- http://www.nfl.com/players/charliebrackins/profile?id=BRA083056
- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/gnb/1955.html%5B%5D
- "Black College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2013 Announced | BCFHOF". www.blackcollegefootballhof.org. Retrieved 2021-01-29.