Former NFL star who holds unusual record dies at 57 after serving prison sentence for ‘elaborate’ bank fraud
Former NFL wide receiver Arthur Marshall has died aged 57 after a battle with stomach cancer.
The University of Georgia standout went on to play for the Denver Broncos and New York Giants, carving out a career in the league after going undrafted in 1992.
Marshall made the All-Rookie team as he became John Elway’s No.2 receiver with the Broncos while also returning kicks.
He made a slice of history in a game against the Dallas Cowboys as he completed an 81-yard touchdown pass to Cedric Tillman. It remains tied for the unusual record of longest pass completion by a non-quarterback in NFL history.
He spent three years in New York after being traded to the Giants in 1994 before his career came to an end.
Over a decade later, Marshall was sentenced to 69 months in prison in June 2010 after being found guilty of bank fraud after an FBI investigation into an ‘elaborate’ scheme.
Former Denver Broncos receiver Arthur Marshall has died at 57 after battling stomach cancer
Marshall played five years in the NFL after graduating from the University of Georgia
Marshall was ordered to pay more than $3.6 million restitution to his victims after an elaborate mortgage fraud scheme saw him charged in a 22-count indictment over his real estate ventures.
Marshall plead guilty and apologized in court to his victims.
‘I didn’t intend for them to get hurt, but they did and that’s my fault. I will do everything in my power to make this right. And I will,’ he said.
His football career started as a star athlete at Hephzibah High School in Georgia, where he also won the Scholar Athlete of the Year award for the state after scoring 1,020 on his SAT.
He was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 2023 and continued to give back to his local community in the later years of his life.
‘When he touched the field, you knew he was on the field,’ current Hephzibah head coach Daniel Dorsey told FOX54 News.
‘He made a difference, whether it was offense, defense or special teams. He was just a special player all around.
‘I think he touched a lot of people through his play on the field, but also through giving back to the community.
Marshall was sentenced to 69 months in prison after pleading guilty to bank fraud
‘I think for a while, he came back; he actually helped coach here at his alma mater, and then he’s also giving back in different ways, whether it’s financially or through gifts or whatnot. I just think his name alone brings smiles to people around, the people he’s touched.
‘I think the biggest thing is just kind of looking at the program that you come from, basically just showing that no matter where you come from, you can have the opportunity to make it to the highest level and compete at the highest level.
‘From Hepzibah, Georgia, Hepzibah High School to University of Georgia all the way to the NFL, I think that speaks volumes to who he is and the mountains that you can climb if you just put your mind to it.’
Marshall overcame a broken leg in his junior year at Georgia to return for his senior year and then eventually play in the NFL. He ended his college career with 65 receptions for 1,166 yards and four touchdowns.
Once in the NFL, he registered 87 catches for 1, 267 yards and four touchdowns across his five seasons.
