The Evolution of the NFL Black Quarterback

Look at a collection of current black quarterbacks at the end of last season. They all have to be thankful for the past. You may not know that the first black quarterback to ever step foot on a pro football field and take a snap was an fitting name - Willie Thrower. He was a back-up quarterback for the Chicago Bears when he took the field. It was the start of the introduction of the black quarterback leading their teams. Granted, Thrower's appearance was not as formal and moving as Jackie Robinson's first appearance. Thrower lasted only that one game against the 49ers, going 3-8 passing and his life after football was much different than Robinson's life after baseball. Nonetheless it was a start to what had become a subject of controversy and a step to fame. All of the current quarterbacks now are thankful for those who paved the way to the success of the black quarterback.

It is an old saying that you can not understand the present without understanding the past. So with that, here are some names from the past you may never had heard of. Eldridge Dickey of Tennessee State University was setting records in HBCU (Historically Black College & Universities) football in the late 1960s. Part of the complaints about black quarterbacks that sometimes comes up even today is that black quarterbacks lack the leadership or intelligence to lead a team to a championship. Dickey had to fight a stereotype that black players were better off playing at receiver or at running back. The first to be drafted in the first round was Marlin Briscoe. In fact, he was the first black quarterback to ever start a game, in 1968 for the Broncos. Briscoe was drafted in the first round by Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders. Marlin Briscoe was good in college but was quickly asked to switch positions.

Another one of the legendary HBCU programs was legendary Grambling State and Head Coach Eddie Robinson. Drafted out the 8th round, James Harris led them to a 24-5-1 record at Grambling State as a starter but even Coach Robinson forewarned him of the chances of him getting to play quarterback in the NFL. After a stint with the Bills where he did not play quarterback, the Rams picked him up and Coach Chuck Knox picked him up and in 1974 he was playing quarterback. James Harris became the first quarterback to start in the playoffs. Harris considered himself a pocket passer and had a 12 year career and wound up getting a front office position with Jacksonville in the early part of this decade.

After the success of Harris, the increase in black quarterbacks in the pros started to grow among coaches and players. Warren Moon was a quarterback at Washington and a short stint and a community college, and did not experience too much racism out in Seattle. At Washington, he led them to a Rose Bowl victory to his time there, but went undrafted by the NFL. So Moon stayed near Seattle playing in the CFL in Edmonton. Many black quarterbacks had to go to CFL to play quarterback including Chuck Ealey and Sandy Stephens of Minnesota. Stephens was 4th in Heisman voting in college but wound up playing for the Montreal Alouettes. Warren Moon dominated in his six-year stay in Edmonton. Finally picked up as a free agent in Houston, Moon still had lots to prove. The run-and shoot offense Jack Pardee used really showed Warren Moon brilliance in a passing oriented offense. Moon's stats got him a place in the Hall of Fame, the first black quarterback to do so.

The old and defunct USFL in the early to mid 80s paved another route for black quarterbacks along with the NFL strike that opened up black quarterbacks to play. The quarterback who had the most talent of the quarterbacks that played during the strike was Willie Totten. Totten went to Mississippi Valley State, quarterbacking for Jerry Rice, and one of their conference rivals was Grambling State and Doug Williams. Williams was a USFL quarterback for the Oklahoma Outlaws and a first round choice for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, starting from 1980-82. Williams would move on the bigger things, and a much bigger stage. Playing in Tampa Bay was harsh times for Williams, facing hate mail, criticism and, like many of the predecessors that braved playing quarterback in pro football, racism from the southern city's fan base. He wrote about it in his book Quarterback: Shattering the NFL Myth (included are some editorial reviews). Williams moved on to Washington and Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs after he thought he was done playing football while coaching at Southern University in Baton Rouge. Gibbs needed a veteran back-up to starter Jay Schroeder. Schroeder was battling injuries and at play-off time, Williams was tabbed as the starter. Williams led the Redskins to the Super Bowl XXII against the Broncos and John Elway. 4 Touchdowns in the 2nd quarter led to a game that would change the perceptions of black quarterbacks on the pro football field.

Before Super Bowl XXII in San Diego, one the media was seemingly fascinated by the fact that Doug Williams was a black quarterback and doing well. The previous link explains the media's handling of Doug Williams. William's never really understood the impact of his win, but this article copied onto a blog. explains how William's second chance in the NFL turned out to a great decision for Gibbs and the first super bowl ring for a black quarterback. Williams went on to coach at his Alma mater Grambling State and at Morehouse College but now holds a position in office with his first team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He may considered for nomination in to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

These men have led to the present day black quarterback success. The NFL has evolved into a league where a mobile quarterback is a plus and there although statements are made that black quarterbacks are running quarterbacks it does not deter them from succeeding. In the previous link, the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP says Syracuse University alum Donovan McNabb does not run enough. This link goes more into black quarterbacks around today such as McNabb, Steve McNair, and David Gerrard. At one point last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars featured three black quarterbacks (read the Wilbon column). Black quarterbacks still have to fight off media reaction to their play, like in 2004 when Rush Limbaugh attacked Donovan McNabb's play (may come up as Adobe pdf file and take a little while to load). It set off a controversy only after McNabb addressed how Limbaugh's statements should be taken seriously.

McNabb, along with Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair have led their teams to Super Bowls this decade, both losing the New England Patriots and the St. Louis Rams respectively. McNabb's Philadelphia Eagles have three black quarterback to start the majority of seasons the past two decades in Randall Cunningham, who was all everything, (check out the punt, the longest punt recorded in Eagle history, on the right under related videos, you will understand). In 1987, Cunningham was the third quarterback to get into the Pro Bowl game after James Harris and Warren Moon. He also opened up a path for the running quarterback such as last year's rookie of the year Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans, although struggling in the passing game this year and last year's quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons' Michael Vick, and Kordell Stewart who use to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers, although used as wide receiver at various point throughout games.

Looking back at the way Doug Williams moved the offense in Super Bowl XXII and the way Steve McNair and the Titans fought back in Super Bowl XXXIV just goes to show that black quarterbacks can be leaders have consistently good seasons. In 1999, the NFL draft included three black quarterbacks in the first round. Jamarcus Russell out of LSU was the first pick in this year's draft. All of them owe Willie Thrower and Marlin Briscoe everything to do what they love on a weekly basis.

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