Jim Marsalis

James Marsalis (born October 10, 1945) is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback for nine seasons in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL).

Early life Marsalis was born on October 10, 1945, in Pascagoula, Mississippi. He attended Carver High School, where he played football. He was dominant enough as a cornerback to have only one touchdown thrown against him in four seasons of college football. He was Senior of the Year at Tennessee. An immediate starter at cornerback, Marsalis helped the Chiefs defeat the defending league champion New York Jets in the first game of the 1969 AFL playoffs, with two interceptions off the Jets' Joe Namath. After the Chiefs won the final AFL Championship Game a week later in Oakland against the Raiders 16–6, where Marsalis had another interception, he started in the Super Bowl IV, the Fourth AFL-NFL World Championship Game.

A two-time Pro Bowler with the Chiefs (1970 and 1971), Marsalis was selected by Pro Football Weekly and the NFL Players Association as the 1969 AFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He was also selected All Pro in 1970. A physical player, Marsalis' style of play as a defensive back was often associated with the physical "bump and run" tactics that would eventually be outlawed by the NFL.

After playing for the Chiefs through the 1976 season, Marsalis would play his last two professional seasons with the New Orleans Saints, retiring after the 1978 season. For his efforts at the college and professional level, Marsalis was selected to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.

Later life In 2023, Marshalis was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame. Marsalis would later work in banking as a loan officer. He briefly served as a defensive secondary coach at Middle Georgia.