How Many Starting Black Quarterbacks In The NFL?

It’s a question that has been asked for years: how many starting black quarterbacks are there in the NFL? The answer, unfortunately, is not as simple as it may seem.

The current state of QB play in the NFL

It’s no secret that the NFL has been lacking in terms of QB play as of late. We’ve seen a decline in the quality of play and a lack of NFL-ready QBs coming out of college. This has led to a lot of teams starting black quarterbacks. But how many black quarterbacks are actually starting in the NFL?

Lack of African American starting quarterbacks

As the NFL season enters its final quarter, only four African American quarterbacks are starting for their respective teams. This is notable because while 70% of the NFL is African American, only about 20% of starting quarterbacks are black. In fact, this year’s Super Bowl will likely feature two white quarterbacks for the third straight year.

Some have attributed this lack of African American starting quarterbacks to a lack of opportunity. In a recent study, it was found that NFL teams are less likely to give African American quarterbacks a second chance after a bad game than they are white quarterbacks. This could be because teams believe that white quarterbacks are “safer” bets, or because they think that black quarterbacks are more prone to making mistakes.

Whatever the reason, the current state of QB play in the NFL does not reflect the diversity of the league as a whole. And it’s something that needs to change if the NFL wants to be truly inclusive.

Reasons for the lack of African American starting quarterbacks

According to a recent study, only 1% of NFL quarterbacks are black. This is a startling statistic, especially when you compare it to the 70% of NFL players that are African American. There are a number of reasons for this lack of black quarterbacks in the NFL. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why.

The Rooney Rule

In an effort to increase diversity, the NFL implemented the Rooney Rule in 2003. The rule requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for open head coaching and GM positions. The rule was named after Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who was chairman of the NFL’s Diversity Committee.

However, the Rooney Rule has not had the desired effect of increasing the number of African American head coaches and GMs in the NFL. In fact, the number of African American head coaches has actually decreased since the rule was put in place.

There are a number of reasons for this lack of diversity among NFL head coaches. One reason is that there is a lack of African American coaches at lower levels of football, which means there is a smaller pool of qualified candidates to choose from. Another reason is that many African American coaches are reluctant to take on rebuilding projects, preferring instead to wait for a team with a ready-made roster that gives them a better chance to win right away.

Whatever the reasons, it’s clear that the Rooney Rule has not been effective in increasing diversity among NFL head coaches.

The “QB position”

The quarterback (QB) is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually the leader of the offense, and is often responsible for calling the play in the huddle. The quarterback also touches the ball on almost every offensive play, and is thus the offensive player that opposing defenses attempt to stop when they are on defense.

African Americans have been playing professional football since its inception, but they were relegated to secondary and tertiary roles before finally becoming starting quarterbacks in the late 20th century. There has never been an African American starting quarterback in a Super Bowl game. Warren Moon was the first African Americanquarterback inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 2015, there were 10 African American starting quarterbacks in the NFL, which was approximately 21% of all starting quarterbacks in the NFL that season.

There are a number of reasons why there is a lack of African American starting quarterbacks in the NFL. One reason is that African Americans are not being drafted as quarterbacks as often as they are being drafted into other positions. Another reason is that when African Americans are drafted as quarterbacks, they are not given as much opportunity to develop and hone their skills as Caucasian quarterbacks are given. There is also a belief amongst some coaches and personnel decision makers that African Americans do not have the “intangibles” or “leadership qualities” necessary to be successful at quarterback- one of the most important leadership positions on any team.

The future of African American quarterbacks in the NFL

In recent years, the NFL has made a concerted effort to promote diversity among its players. This has been especially true for the quarterback position, which has historically been populated primarily by white players.

The “QB position”

The quarterback position has been one of the most difficult positions to crack for African Americans. In the early days of the NFL, Blacks were only allowed to play other positions and not given a fair chance to quarterback. It took until the 1940s before an African American quarterback started an NFL game. This was Fritz Pollard for the Akron Pros. In 1948, Pollard became the first black head coach in the NFL with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

During the 1950s there were very few black quarterbacks in the NFL. They were slowly integrated into other positions but it wasn’t until Doug Williams in 1978 that another black quarterback started in an NFL game. In 1983, Williams became the first African American quarterback to be drafted in the first round when he was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Williams had a successful career as a journeyman quarterback playing for several teams. He is most famous for leading the Washington Redskins to a win in Super Bowl XXII where he was named MVP after throwing for 340 yards and four touchdowns. He is considered one of the pioneers of African American quarterbacks in the NFL.

Today, there are more starting black quarterbacks in the NFL than ever before. Currently, there are eight starting black quarterbacks in the NFL including:
-Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks)
-Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers)
-Andrew Luck (Indianapolis Colts)
-Robert Griffin III (Washington Redskins)
-EJ Manuel (Buffalo Bills)
-Colin Kaepernick (San Francisco 49ers)
-Mike Vick (Philadelphia Eagles)
-Terrelle Pryor (Oakland Raiders)

The Rooney Rule

The Rooney Rule is a National Football League (NFL) policy that requires league teams to interview ethnic-minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operations jobs. It is named after Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who proposed the rule in 2002.

Since the introduction of the rule, the number of black head coaches in the NFL has increased from six to eight, but there has only been a small increase in the number of starting quarterbacks who are black. In the 2014 season, there were only two black starting quarterbacks in the NFL, down from a high of four in 2009.

The future of African American quarterbacks in the NFL is uncertain. The Rooney Rule has helped increase the number of black head coaches, but it has not had a similar impact on the number of black quarterbacks. There are several reasons why this may be the case.

First, quarterback is one of the most important and demanding positions in all of sports. It requires a unique combination of physical abilities, intelligence, and leadership skills. As a result, there is a limited pool of qualified candidates for the position, and African American quarterbacks have often been overlooked in favor of white candidates.

Second, even when African American quarterbacks do get an opportunity to play in the NFL, they often face discrimination and racism from teammates, coaches, and fans. This can create an environment that is difficult to succeed in and can lead to African American quarterbacks leaving the league prematurely.

Finally, NFL teams have been reluctant to invest heavily in African American quarterbacks because they are considered to be more risky than white quarterbacks. This is due to both racial bias and the fact that African American quarterbacks have historically been less successful than their white counterparts. As a result, teams are more likely to sign white backup quarterbacks than they are African American starters.

The future of African American quarterbacks in the NFL is uncertain at best. The Rooney Rule has helped increase opportunities for black coaches, but much more needs to be done to increase opportunities for black quarterbacks. Until then, we may see fewer African American starting quarterback than we did just a few years ago.