Newsflash: Two Black Quarterbacks Playing in the Super Bowl Does Not Move the Needle Toward Addressing Racism in the NFL

Although celebration is in order to commemorate two Black quarterbacks playing in the Super Bowl, racism in the NFL is still alive and well.

Two Black quarterbacks will play in the Super Bowl for the first time in history. Jalen Hurts, the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, will face off this Sunday to make history. The historic moment in football history has caught the attention of football fans and those who view two Black quarterbacks playing in the Super Bowl as a marker of progress toward addressing racism in the NFL. However, others are less optimistic. Although this moment should not be taken lightly and is to be celebrated, it might be a little premature to consider this a testament to addressing racism in the NFL.

Let’s be honest: The NFL has had a sordid relationship with racism, and it would be far-fetched to think that would change after Sunday’s game. That would be as asinine as arguing that President Barack Obama being Black is evidence of racism being eradicated in the U.S. That said, two Black quarterbacks playing in the Super Bowl is a significant step for the NFL and is a long time coming. The highly coveted quarterback position is considered the leader of their team and is a position that not many Black football players have held.

In 1968, Marlin Briscoe, who played for the Denver Broncos and is considered to be the first Black starting quarterback in the American Football League, fought tooth and nail to secure his position, but left Denver after the Broncos’ coach decided to replace him with Pete Liske, a white quarterback. Although Briscoe later played for several teams, including the Buffalo Bills, and had a thriving football career, he never returned to the quarterback position. After Briscoe made history, progress toward addressing racism in the NFL and recruiting more Black quarterbacks was as slow-moving as watching paint dry.

In fact, not more than three Black quarterbacks played during any season between 1987 and 1996. Finally, in 1997, a major shift occurred when five…