How Many Black Quarterbacks Are In The NFL?

The number of black quarterbacks in the NFL has been on the rise in recent years. Here’s a look at how many there are currently.

Introduction

In the National Football League (NFL), the quarterback is the most important position on the field. A quarterback’s primary responsibilities are to receive the snap from the center, pass the ball to an eligible receiver, and manage the offense.

Statistics show that black quarterbacks make up a small but growing percentage of NFL quarterbacks. In 2017, there were six black starting quarterbacks in the NFL, which represented 9.1% of all starting quarterbacks. This was up from 5% in 2016 and 2.6% in 2015. The six black starting quarterbacks in 2017 were Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers), Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks), Derek Carr (Oakland Raiders), Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys), Jameis Winston (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and Marcus Mariota (Tennessee Titans).

The number of black NFL quarterbacks has been on the rise since Marlin Briscoe became the league’s first black starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos in 1968. In 1970, James Harris became the first black quarterback to be drafted in the first round when he was selected by the Buffalo Bills. He would go on to play for several NFL teams over his career. Doug Williams became the first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl when he led the Washington Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XXII in 1988. He was also named Super Bowl MVP that year. In 2006, Vince Young became the first black quarterback to be named Rookie of the Year when he achieved that honor with the Tennessee Titans.

The National Association of Black Journalists awarded Michael Vick their Sportswriter of the Year award in 2010, recognizing his importance as a role model to young African Americans. Vick had previously been convicted of felony dog fighting charges and spent time in prison, but had made a successful return to football with The Philadelphia Eagles. In 2012, Colin Kaepernick set an NFL record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a season, and led The San Francisco 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII where they narrowly lost to The Baltimore Ravens 34-31.

The NFL’s Rooney Rule

In order to promote diversity in the NFL, the league established the Rooney Rule in 2003. The rule requires teams to interview at least one person of color for head coaching and general manager vacancies.

Despite the rule’s good intentions, a study conducted by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport found that only 22% of NFL head coaches are people of color. Of those head coaches, 80% are African American.

There is no denying that black quarterbacks have been historically underrepresented in the NFL. In 2020, there are only eight starting black quarterbacks in the league out of a total of 32 teams. While this number has increased in recent years, it’s still low considering that African Americans make up 70% of the league’s players.

The good news is that the NFL appears to be moving in the right direction when it comes to diversity. In 2019, two African American head coaches (Brian Flores and Kliff Kingsbury) were hired for the first time in history. And this past offseason, three more black quarterbacks (Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, and Mac Jones) were drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft.

The NFL’s Black Quarterbacks

The NFL has a long history of great black quarterbacks. Some of the league’s most iconic players have been black signal callers, including Doug Williams, Randall Cunningham, Michael Vick, and Donovan McNabb. In recent years, the number of black quarterbacks has declined somewhat, but there are still a handful of very talented players at the position. Here is a look at some of the NFL’s black quarterbacks.

Russell Wilson- Seattle Seahawks
Wilson is one of the league’s best quarterbacks, period. He has led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory, and he is one of the most efficient passers in NFL history. Wilson is a true dual-threat quarterback who can beat teams with his arm or his legs.

Cam Newton- Carolina Panthers
Newton is a physical freak who was totally dominant during his MVP season in 2015. He has struggled with consistency throughout his career, but when he is on, he is one of the most dangerous players in the league. Newton has a rocket for an arm and he is nearly impossible to stop when he gets going.

Lamar Jackson- Baltimore Ravens
Jackson took over as the Ravens’ starting quarterback midway through last season and he was unbelievable. He led Baltimore to a division title and was named MVP after putting up video game numbers. Jackson is an electric runner who also happens to be an excellent passer. He is one of the most exciting players in the NFL.

The NFL’s Black Coaches

In the National Football League (NFL), the term “black quarterback” refers to a quarterback who is black. The percentage of black quarterbacks has increased steadily since 1978, when being black was considered an impediment to the position.

In 1978, only 5.6 percent of NFL quarterbacks were black. But by 2019, that number had increased to 24 percent — and two of the league’s 32 teams, the Carolina Panthers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, are currently led by black quarterbacks.

The NFL’s increased focus on diversity has helped to increase the number of black coaches as well. In 2002, there were only four black head coaches in the NFL. But by 2019, that number had risen to eight — including the league’s first African American woman head coach, Katie Sowers of the San Francisco 49ers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are a total of 23 black quarterbacks in the NFL as of the 2019 season. This number has been on the rise in recent years, and it is likely that we will see even more black quarterbacks in the future.