First A-A player in NFL playoff game

[Halas Hall]

The chatter about Doug Williams in another thread got me thinking. Who is the first African American player to appear in an NFL playoff game?

Is it one of / a few of the Rams on the opening kickoff against the Bears in 1950?

Thank you!

[JameisBrownston]

Probably Marion Motley. Did Fritz Pollard or Duke Slater ever participate in anything comparable to a postseason game?

[RichardBak]

Off the top of my head, wouldn't that distinction be shared by several Rams and Browns in the 1950 postseason? And it wouldn't be the title game, it would be in the divisional playoffs (LA-Bears, Clev-NYG) played the week before. So, Motley, Bill Willis, Tank Younger, Deacon Dan Towler, Woodley Lewis...who am I missing?

[TanksAndSpartans]

Did Fritz Pollard or Duke Slater ever participate in anything comparable to a postseason game?

You could argue (probably not win) that Akron, Buffalo, Canton, and Decatur had their own little postseason tournament in December of 1920:

Buffalo 7 Canton 3
Akron 0 Buffalo 0
Akron 0 Decatur 0

And say it was Pollard.

[Citizen]

Post-Pollard, Woody Strode and Kenny Washington both missed that distinction by one year (were with the Rams the year after their '45 title).

[conace21]

Off the top of my head, wouldn't that distinction be shared by several Rams and Browns in the 1950 postseason? And it wouldn't be the title game, it would be in the divisional playoffs (LA-Bears, Clev-NYG) played the week before. So, Motley, Bill Willis, Tank Younger, Deacon Dan Towler, Woodley Lewis...who am I missing?

Emlen Tunnell

[Saban1]

Would it be Tunnell, Motley, and Willis in the 1950 playoff game between the Browns and Giants? Of course, that is if we don't count Pollard and other AA players from the 20's and 30's.

[TanksAndSpartans]

Would it be Tunnell, Motley, and Willis in the 1950 playoff game between the Browns and Giants? Of course, that is if we don't count Pollard and other AA players from the 20's and 30's.

Yes, but the Rams played the Bears the same day, so I think you'd have to count the Rams players @RichardBak mentioned as well.

[RichardBak]

I guess Motley, Willis, and Tunnell technically would be the first because the Rams-Bears game in LA didn't start until 3 hours later because of the time difference.

[Saban1]

Would it be Tunnell, Motley, and Willis in the 1950 playoff game between the Browns and Giants? Of course, that is if we don't count Pollard and other AA players from the 20's and 30's.

If it was Tunnell, Motley, and Willis, then it would also have to be Horace Gillom and Emerson Cole who played for the Browns as well.