Sixteen years after Lovie Smith and the Chicago Bears faced Tony Dungy and his Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI, making history as the first two black head coaches to reach that game, Jalen Hurts and his Philadelphia Eagles and Patrick Mahomes and The Kansas City Chiefs are making history themselves as the first Black guards ever participate in the crown jewel of the NFL.
What started with Marlin Briscoe — the first black quarterback in NFL history — and Doug Williams — the first black quarterback to start as a Super Bowl MVP — has evolved to a moment where people celebrate that moment without being confused by how we come here.
“There were 11 Black quarterbacks that started the season, and we’re lucky enough to get two in the Super Bowl,” Williams said in a recent interview. “That’s a thing in itself. But in my estimation, I think in the next five to ten years, half the quarterbacks in the National Football League will be Black.
“They [younger Black quarterbacks] respect what happened. They respect history. That’s the most important thing.”
As society and the game, have changed over time, offering more opportunities for black quarterbacks to showcase their talents. Gone are the days when their ceilings as signal-callers were limited to high school and college games, where many were forced to change their natural position to “utilize their athleticism.” Now, the thing that was used against them is finally being seen as an asset, as mobile backs of all stripes are phasing the old prototype pocket passers out of the game.
Before the big game starts or while it’s happening — depending on when you’re reading this — here’s a look at the black quarterbacks who played in the Super Bowl.