Who Was The First Black Quarterback In The NFL?

The first black quarterback in the NFL was Marlin Briscoe. He played for the Denver Broncos in 1968.

Introduction

In the National Football League (NFL), a black quarterback is a rarity. Despite the league being over 70% black, only a handful of African American quarterbacks have ever started an NFL game. The first black quarterback in the NFL was George Taliaferro, who was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1949. He played three seasons in the NFL, but his career was cut short by injuries. Since Taliaferro’s retirement, there have been few African American quarterbacks in the NFL. The most successful black quarterback of all time is probably Doug Williams, who led the Washington Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XXII.

Early Black Quarterbacks

The first black quarterback in the NFL was George Taliaferro, who was drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1949. Prior to Taliaferro, there had been a handful of black quarterbacks who had played in the league, but they were all either converted running backs or wide receivers. Taliaferro was the first black quarterback to be drafted as a QB.

The First Black Quarterback in the NFL

The first black quarterback in the NFL was Marlin Briscoe. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 1968 and played for them for two seasons. In 1970, he was traded to the Buffalo Bills, where he played for one season. He then went on to play for the San Diego Chargers for two seasons.

The Impact of the First Black Quarterback in the NFL

The NFL saw its first black quarterback in 1946, when Fritz Pollard became the head coach of the Akron Pros. He helped pioneer the “T” formation offense and led the team to an undefeated season in 1920. Pollard later went on to co-found the American Football League.

In 1948, the Los Angeles Ramssigned Kenny Washington, making him the first black player in the NFL in over 20 years. Washington played for the Rams for four seasons before retiring. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

In 1949, Marion Motley signed with the Cleveland Browns, becoming the first black player in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). Motley was a key member of the Browns team that won four AAFC championships between 1946 and 1949. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968.

In 1950, Rayfield Wright became the first black player drafted by an NFL team when he was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the NFL draft. Wright played for the Cowboys for 13 seasons and was a six-time Pro Bowl selection. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is no one definitive answer to the question of who was the first black quarterback in the NFL. Depending on how you define “first,” it could be argued that either Willie Thrower or Marlin Briscoe deserves that title. However, both men faced significant obstacles throughout their careers, and neither was able to find sustained success in the league. Additionally, it’s worth noting that while they were both pioneers in their own right, they were not the only black quarterbacks to play in the NFL during their era.