It was Super Bowl LVII in 2023. Patrick Mahomes stood on one side, Jalen Hurts on the other. For most people watching, it was just a heavyweight matchup between two elite signal-callers. But for those who know the history? It was a moment that felt impossible just a few decades ago. Honestly, the evolution of the black quarterback isn't just about sports stats or highlight reels. It is a gritty, decades-long story of breaking down a very specific, very stubborn kind of gatekeeping.
Think about it. For the longest time, the NFL had this "CEO" myth about the quarterback position. The guy under center had to be the "thinking man." The field general. The face of the franchise. And for much of the 20th century, the league's power brokers simply didn't believe Black men fit that mold. They were "athletes." They were "specimens." They were anything except "quarterbacks."
The Secret Ban and the "Position Switch" Trap
Before we talk about Mahomes or Lamar Jackson, you have to look at the 1930s. Most fans don't realize there was a straight-up secret ban. George Preston Marshall, who owned the team now known as the Commanders, brokered a deal in 1933 to keep Black players out of the league entirely. It stayed that way until 1946.
Even after the color barrier broke, the "position switch" became the new wall. If you were a star Black quarterback in college, NFL scouts would show up and tell you that you’d make a "great wide receiver" or a "dynamic defensive back." Basically, they wanted the speed but didn't trust the mind.
The Men Who Refused to Move
- Marlin Briscoe (1968): He’s the first Black starting QB in the modern era. The Denver Broncos drafted him as a defensive back, but he literally had it written into his contract that he’d get a tryout at QB. He threw 14 touchdowns that year, a rookie record for the team. Then? They traded him and turned him back into a receiver.
- James "Shack" Harris (1969): He was the first to start a season as the designated QB1 for the Buffalo Bills. He faced death threats. He had to deal with a level of scrutiny that would break most people today.
- Joe Gilliam (1974): He actually beat out Terry Bradshaw for the starting job in Pittsburgh. Imagine that. But the backlash from fans was so toxic he ended up losing the spot despite winning games.
When the Walls Started Cracking
The 1980s changed everything because of two names: Doug Williams and Warren Moon. They proved the two things critics said Black quarterbacks couldn't be—winners and pure pocket passers.
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Warren Moon’s story is actually kind of wild. Despite a massive college career at Washington, he went undrafted in the 1978 NFL Draft. Why? Because he wouldn't switch positions. He went to Canada instead. He won five straight Grey Cups in the CFL. By the time the NFL finally "realized" he could play, he was already a legend. He eventually threw for nearly 50,000 yards in the NFL and made it to the Hall of Fame. It's a "what if" that still haunts the league.
Then came January 31, 1988. Super Bowl XXII.
Doug Williams stepped onto the field for Washington against the Denver Broncos. People weren't asking about his arm strength. They were asking "How does it feel to be a Black quarterback in the Super Bowl?" over and over. Williams responded by throwing four touchdowns in a single quarter. One quarter. He didn't just win; he demolished the "intellectual" argument forever.
The Dual-Threat Label: A Double-Edged Sword
By the 90s and 2000s, the evolution of the black quarterback hit a weird middle ground. We saw the rise of Randall Cunningham and Michael Vick. They were "cheat codes." But this created a new stereotype: the "scrambler."
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Scouts started using "athletic" as a backhanded compliment. If a Black QB could run, the media often ignored his ability to read a Cover 2 defense. You’ve probably heard it. "He's a great athlete, but can he win from the pocket?"
"I often say that there is a pecking order... Jackie Robinson had to be the first to do what he did in order for there to be a black quarterback." — Marlin Briscoe
This bias didn't just disappear. Even in 2018, people were telling Lamar Jackson he should work out as a wide receiver at the Combine. He’s since won two MVP awards as a quarterback.
The Current Landscape: 2025 and Beyond
Fast forward to the 2025 season. Week 1 saw 16 Black quarterbacks start under center. That’s half the league. We aren't just seeing "mobile" guys anymore. We’re seeing a diverse range of styles.
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- CJ Stroud: A pure, surgical pocket passer who led the Texans to the playoffs as a rookie.
- Patrick Mahomes: The undisputed face of the league, combining "no-look" creativity with elite processing.
- Jordan Love: Taking the torch in Green Bay, a franchise with a legendary history of traditional QB play.
- Jayden Daniels: The next generation of high-speed, high-IQ playmaking.
The "Black quarterback" label is finally starting to fade into just "the quarterback." The narrative has shifted from can they lead? to how do we stop them?
What We Can Learn From This
The history shows us that talent usually wins, but only if the gatekeepers get out of the way. The NFL lost out on decades of elite play because of "stacking" players based on race.
If you're a coach, a scout, or even just a fan, the lesson is pretty simple. Look at the tape, not the "mold." The most successful teams in the league right now are the ones who built their offenses around the unique strengths of their players rather than trying to fit them into a 1970s prototype.
Practical Next Steps for Fans and Analysts
- Watch the Pre-Snap: Instead of focusing on a QB's 40-yard dash time, watch how guys like Dak Prescott or Jalen Hurts change protections at the line. That's where the real evolution is happening.
- Research the Pioneers: Look up the "Brothers in Arms" foundation. It was started by Warren Moon, Andre Ware, and Vince Young to mentor the next generation.
- Challenge the Tropes: When you hear a commentator call a player "naturally gifted" vs "a student of the game," ask yourself if those labels are based on performance or old habits.
The 2025 season has proven that the "experiment" is over. The results are in. The best players are playing, and the game is better for it.