Black quarterbacks in the NFL: The evolution of the game
Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles and Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs meet on the field after Philadelphia beat Kansas City 40-22 to win Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo
(FOX 9) - For the second time in three years, two Black starting quarterbacks faced off against each other in the Super Bowl.
When they first met at Super Bowl LVII two years ago, it was a monumental first for the NFL.
History of Black quarterbacks in the Super Bowl
Timeline:
In 59 Super Bowls, there are only eight Black quarterbacks to lead their teams down the field. Out of those eight, only four have won at least one Super Bowl.
FOX 9 talked to a black former University of Minnesota starting quarterback in the 1980s. He says a lot has changed.
Former U of M QB Rickey Foggie reacts
The backstory:
"It takes me back 40 years and wishing that I could have got the opportunity to play that quarterback position in the NFL," said Rickey Foggie.
Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts are two Black quarterbacks at the top of their game, taking their teams to the biggest stage of the NFL more than once.
Forty years ago, it was a different story. The opportunities to play in the NFL as a black quarterback didn’t seem possible for Foggie.
Foggie started at the University of Minnesota as a true freshman quarterback. Back in his college days from 84 to 87, he was the only Black quarterback in the Big Ten Conference.
"Here I am in college, I beat Jim Harbaugh, and he goes on to be an NFL quarterback. Why wasn't I given the opportunity," said Foggie.
NFL QBs back in the 1980s
What they're saying:
When Foggie played college ball, the Black quarterbacks in the NFL that he knew of were Randall Cunningham and Doug Williams.
"If I’m good enough to play and be a four-year starter at a major university, why wasn't I just given an opportunity from one of the 32 teams," said Foggie.
"I was given the option to change positions if I wanted to play in the NFL, aka receiver or defensive back," he added.
Foggie believes there is a reason he didn’t get a chance to lead an NFL team.
"I think there was a lot of people in ownership through those years. Didn't think – just because of our color – we couldn't run their football team," said Foggie.
Instead, Foggie decided to go to the Canadian Football League so he could play quarterback.
Black QBs, forty years later
Big picture view:
The next generation of potential NFL players are growing up with a much different experience. At the beginning of the NFL season, 15 of the league’s 32 starting quarterbacks were Black.
"It just makes me feel better seeing like, two people that I kind of resemble go against each other in the biggest stage," said Cordae Williams, a senior wide receiver and safety at Minneapolis North High School.
"I see Black excellence every day, like, even throughout the school, like my family and whatnot. So it's just like, I’m not surprised that they're playing each other in the highest stage," said Anaise Dotson, a junior who plays defense at Minneapolis North High School.
Student-athletes Dotson and Williams aspire to go to the NFL one day. The Minneapolis North high schoolers have high expectations for themselves after seeing people who look like them dominate the game.
"I feel like people are limited to what they can do depending on, like, you know, skin color, sometimes, where they're from, where they grew up at," said Williams.
"When you're given that, that little sliver of hope that we can make it like it's possible for all of us to achieve the same things," said Dotson.
By the numbers:
And in case you’re wondering, having 15 teams with Black starting quarterbacks at the start of the 2024 season is a new NFL record.