*Let’s talk sports; specifically, football, and more specifically, black starting quarterbacks (QBs) in the National Football League (NFL).
Once upon a time, a Black man could not be a QB in the NFL. He may have played QB in college but had to switch positions when he got to the NFL.
That was then, and this is now.
The 2024 NFL season is upon us, and for the third year in a row, there are a record number of Black QBs starting games this season.
Last year, 14 Blacks were under center to start the season, and this year the number has increased by one, to 15.
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Most of the 15 starters this year also started last year: the majority for the same team. Justin Fields, who started last year for the Chicago Bears, has moved over to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Although he was supposed to be the backup for Russell Wilson, who made his way from two unremarkable seasons in Denver because Russell is sidelined with a calf injury, Justin gets the nod…and the first two Steeler wins of the season. Russell Wilson had better watch out or he may be the backup.
Joshua Dobbs, who started last year for the Arizona Cardinals in place of the injured Kyler Murray, has moved on to a backup position for the San Francisco 49ers.
Desmond Ridder, who started for the Atlanta Falcons during the 2023 season, is now the Arizona Cardinals’ backup.
That takes care of those who have lost their starting QB positions.
Joining the list of starting Black QBs, are 2022 and 2023 Heisman Trophy winners, rookies, Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears) and Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders), respectively.
Kyler Murray is returning to lead the Arizona Cardinals after missing the 2023 season with an ACL injury.
Jacoby Brissett, who played for the Washington Commanders in 2023, and did not get into a game until week 15, has earned the starting position for the NE Patriots.
Bryce Young is picking up where the 2023 Carolina Panthers left off: having a bad season, losing his first two games, after going 2-15 last season.
The 2021 Heisman Trophy winner and 2023 #1 draft pick, is having a rough go of it so far in his NFL career. He had a good preseason, so maybe things will turn around for him.
The remaining cast of QBs returning from last season are Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs), NFL MVP Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens), Offensive Rookie of the Year CJ Stroud (Houston Texans), Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys), Deshaun Watson (Cleveland Browns), Jordon Love (Green Bay Packers), Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Colts), Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles) and Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks).
A lot has gone on these first two weeks of the season. There is more parody in the league, a lot of the scores have been close, and teams are winning against the odds.
For example, the Baltimore Ravens, who had a 10-point lead in the 4th quarter in their second game, lost at home to the Las Vegas Raiders, to start their season 0-2 for the first time in nearly 20 years. They also lost a heartbreaker game 1 to the Kansas City Chiefs, even though Lamar Jackson had respectable stats (26/41 for 273 yards and one touchdown).
The Dallas Cowboys got dogwalked by the New Orleans Saints 44-19 in week two, even though Dak Prescott went 27/39, for 293 yards. I guess the two interceptions didn’t help the Cowboys cause.
To be fair, the Saints also ran over the Carolina Panthers 47-10 in week one.
In 1969, Marlin Briscoe became the first Black, in the Super Bowl era, to start a game at quarterback, starting the last five games of the season for the Denver Broncos.
In 1969, James “Shack” Harris became the first Black to start a season at quarterback. In 1988, Doug Williams became the first Black to play in and win a Super Bowl.
In 2023, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts became the first Black quarterbacks to start in the same Super Bowl.
For the third year in a row, a record number of Blacks started at quarterback in the NFL.
We’ve come a long way, baby!
Marilyn Smith is a Los Angeles-based writer/reviewer. Contact her via [email protected]
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