What Percentage of NFL Quarterbacks are Black?

We take a look at the percentage of NFL quarterbacks who are black, and how that number has changed over the years.

NFL History

It wasn’t until the late 1960s that African American quarterbacks began to be given a real chance to play in the NFL. In 1967, the Detroit Lions selected Rudy Hubbard in the 12th round of the NFL draft. He became the first black quarterback to be drafted by an NFL team. In 1968, the New York Jets drafted Eldridge Dickey in the first round.

The first black NFL player

The first black NFL player was Kenny Washington, who played for the Los Angeles Rams in 1946. He was followed by Woody Strode, who also played for the Rams. However, it wasn’t until 1957 that an African American quarterback took the field in an NFL game. That man was Willie Thrower, who played one season for the Chicago Bears.

The Rooney Rule

In order to promote racial diversity, the National Football League (NFL) has implemented a policy known as the Rooney Rule. This rule requires all teams to interview at least one person of color for any head coach or general manager vacancy. The rule is named after Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who was chairman of the NFL’s Diversity Committee when it was established in 2003.

Since the rule’s inception, the percentage of black quarterbacks in the NFL has doubled from 6% to 12%. The NFL has also seen an increase in the number of minority head coaches and general managers. While the Rooney Rule is not perfect, it has been successful in promoting racial diversity among NFL teams.

The current state of the NFL

Although 70% of the NFL is black, only 15% of quarterbacks are black. This lack of diversity among NFL quarterbacks has been a topic of discussion for many years. Some say that the reason for the lack of diversity is that quarterbacks require a higher level of intelligence than other positions. Others say that the reason is that there are fewer black quarterbacks in the NFL because there are fewer black people playing the sport in general. Whatever the reason, the lack of diversity among NFL quarterbacks is an issue that needs to be addressed.

The percentage of black NFL quarterbacks

As of 2019, the percentage of black NFL quarterbacks is about 25%. This number has slowly increased over the years, but it’s still far lower than the percentage of black players in the NFL as a whole, which is about 70%. While there are a number of factors that contribute to this disparity, one of the most often cited is the lack of opportunities for black quarterbacks to play at the collegiate level. This is due to a number of factors, including racism, stereotyping, and discrimination.

The success of black quarterbacks in the NFL

In the National Football League, the success of black quarterbacks has been a contentious issue since the league’s establishment. The league’s first black quarterback was George Taliaferro, who was drafted in 1949 by the Chicago Bears. Despite his successful career at Indiana University, Taliaferro was never given an opportunity to play for the Bears, and he was eventually traded to the New York Yanks. In 1952, Taliaferro retired from professional football after only three seasons.

Since Taliaferro’s retirement, there have been a number of successful black quarterbacks in the NFL, including Doug Williams, who became the first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl when he led the Washington Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XXII. Williams was followed by Donovan McNabb, who made six Pro Bowl appearances with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Russell Wilson, who has won two Super Bowls with the Seattle Seahawks.

As of 2019, 70% of NFL quarterbacks are black. This percentage is up from 66% in 2018 and 60% in 2017. The increase in black quarterbacks can be attributed to a number of factors, including the success of black quarterbacks in recent years and an increased focus on diversity in NFL coaching staffs.

The future of the NFL

The NFL has been around for over a hundred years now, and in that time, the game has changed drastically. One of the most notable changes has been the increase in the number of black quarterbacks. In the early days of the NFL, there were very few black players, let alone quarterbacks. However, in recent years, the number of black quarterbacks has been on the rise.

The potential for more black quarterbacks in the NFL

In recent years, the percentage of black quarterbacks in the NFL has been on the rise. In 2017, about 25% of NFL quarterbacks were black, up from about 10% in 2007. And this trend appears to be continuing, with several high-profile black quarterbacks leading their teams to success in 2018.

There are a number of reasons for this increase. One is that more black athletes are playing quarterback at the high school and college levels. Another is that black quarterbacks are now being given more opportunities to succeed in the NFL.

Despite these gains, there is still room for improvement. Most NFL quarterbacks are white, and many believe that this is because of prejudice among league decision-makers. Some believe that the league’s quarterbacking ranks would look very different if decisions were made based purely on merit.

Whatever the reason, it’s clear that black quarterbacks still face significant barriers to success in the NFL. But with each passing year, these barriers are slowly but surely being dismantled.

The impact of black quarterbacks on the NFL

In 2017, 67% of NFL quarterbacks were black. That number has been steadily increasing over the past few years, and some believe that it will eventually reach 80%. This shift has been driven in part by the success of black quarterbacks like Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, and Dak Prescott. But it’s also due to a change in the way that NFL scouts evaluate quarterbacks.

In the past, many scouts believed that black quarterbacks were not as intelligent as their white counterparts. They also assumed that black quarterbacks were not as accurate throws and lacked the “pocket presence” needed to be successful in the NFL. However, these biases have slowly been disproven as more and more black quarterbacks have found success at the highest level.

One of the most important things that has changed in recent years is the way that NFL coaches use quarterbacks. In the past, most coaches preferred pocket passers who would stay in the pocket and make quick, precise throws. However, this style of play was not well-suited to many black quarterbacks who excelled at running with the ball and making plays outside of the pocket.

Nowadays, coaches are much more open to quarterbacking styles that deviate from the traditional mold. This has allowed players like Wilson, Newton, and Prescott to thrive in the NFL. And as more black quarterbacks find success at the professional level, it’s likely that even more young black athletes will be inspired to pursue quarterbacking careers.