Franklin Clarke (February 7, 1934 – July 25, 2018) was an American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland Browns and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Colorado.
Early years
Clarke was named after Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States. He attended Beloit Memorial High School where he received All-state honors in football and track. He clocked 49.9 seconds in the 440-yard dash.
After attending Trinidad State Junior College for two years, where he had a successful career, he became the first African-American varsity football player at the University of Colorado at Boulder, joining the Buffaloes in September 1954. He had to sit out the season after transferring. He was joined by John Wooten the following year and because this was before the civil rights movement, the pair often had to endure open racism outside of Boulder.
As a junior, he was an honorable-mention All-Big 7 conference performer, when he was second in the league with 407 receiving yards, during a run-oriented era. He also returned kickoffs, while leading the team with 13 receptions and 5 receiving touchdowns.
As a senior, he led the team with 7 receptions for 124 yards and 2 receiving touchdowns. Trailing 13–0 against the University of Missouri and needing a tie or a win to clinch a berth for the 1957 Orange Bowl, Clarke scored 2 second half touchdowns. Clemson University originally stated that they would not play in the bowl against a team with black athletes, but later changed its position and would end up losing 27–21. He was selected to play in the Copper Bowl All-Star game.
Clarke amassed 20 receptions for 532 yards (26.6 yard average), 7 receiving touchdowns and 2 blocked kicks, ending his career fifth at the time in receiving yards at Colorado. He was so well liked among his peers on campus, that he was chosen as King of the annual Days festival, Colorado's equivalent of Homecoming King. He also practiced basketball and track.
In 2008, he was inducted into the Colorado Athletic Hall of Fame.
Professional career
Cleveland Browns
Clarke was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round (61st overall) of the 1956 NFL Draft. He played with the team for three seasons, from 1957 to 1959, even though he stood on the sidelines during the first two. He had a total of 10 catches during those three years at offensive right end and was left unprotected in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft.
Dallas Cowboys
Clarke was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960 NFL Expansion Draft. His coaches at Colorado and Cleveland criticized his blocking, but the Cowboys were still intrigued by the 6-1, 215-pound player. Instead of picking at his deficiencies, Tom Landry chose to accentuate his strengths. The coach appreciated his speed, soft hands and his ability to run precise routes, so he was converted into a split end. Mostly a backup behind Billy Howton and Fred Dugan, he appeared in 8 games (3 starts), registering 9 receptions, 290 yards, 3 touchdowns and a 32.2-yard average.
He moved into the starting role in 1961, tallying 41 receptions, 919 yards, 22.4-yard average (led the league), 9 touchdowns and scored 54 points (led the team). Additionally, he began a streak of seven consecutive games with at least a touchdown reception, which still stands as a Cowboys record shared with Bob Hayes (1965–1966), Terrell Owens (2007), and Dez Bryant (2012).
He turned out to be the Cowboys' first bona fide long-ball threat—before "Bullet" Bob Hayes joined him. Hayes even credits Clarke for teaching him the proper way to catch "the bomb"—the long pass. He is also credited as the first African American star athlete, on a Cowboys that played in a then racially divided Dallas.