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Since the first African American player joined the NFL, the league has experienced significant growth. The league has made significant strides and is still developing as more African Americans join it. That's fabulous to watch, as it gives the NFL a new aesthetic and skill set. It also adds variety, something the league needs.
Statista.com has broken down the ethnicity of players in the NFL. Blacks and African-Americans made up 58% of the league as of 2021. Regarding other races, 25% of the population identified as White, 1.6% as Hawaiian or Pacific Highlander, 0.7% as Hispanic or Latino and 0.3% as Asian. The remaining groups were undetermined.
How many black starting QBs are in the NFL?
According to some researchers, black quarterbacks weren't given NFL opportunities in the past, as it was assumed that their white colleagues won't follow their lead and because black quarterbacks were probably seen as lacking in intelligence, consistency, calmness, charisma and appeal.
At the competitive level, talented black quarterbacks from the high school and college levels frequently switched to other areas, such as running backs or wide receivers. The NFL's prohibition on African players was lifted in 1946, but the desegregation of the quarterback position took much longer.
Ten black quarterbacks started for NFL franchises at the beginning of the 2020 season, and that was a record. In the 2022 season, 11 black quarterbacks were starters at the start of the season, breaking the previous record. They were:
- Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys)
- Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks)
- Jacoby Brissett (Cleveland Browns)
- Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles)
- Jameis Winston (New Orleans Saints)
- Justin Fields (Chicago Bears)
- Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals)
- Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)
- Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs)
- Russell Wilson (Denver Broncos)
- Trey Lance (San Francisco 49ers)
How many Black quarterbacks have won the Super Bowl?
It wasn't until October 8, 1953, when Chicago Bears quarterback Willie Thrower replaced George Blanda in a 35-28 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers, that the NFL's first African American quarterback ever took the field. Since then, the NFL has had a large number of black quarterbacks.
Only three black quarterbacks, Russell Wilson, Doug Williams and Patrick Mahomes, have won the Super Bowl.
Michael Vick was the first black quarterback to be taken first overall in the NFL draft. The Atlanta Falcons made him their first pick in the 2001 NFL draft. Steve McNair, in 2003, was the first black quarterback to win an NFL MVP.
