NFL 100 Years in the Making—Lamar Jackson Becomes the 3rd Black Quarterback Exclusively Named MVP; 2 NOW 3 Black QB’s Have Won a Super Bowl

As the NFL celebrates 100 years, it may be hard for some to believe it has only awarded 3 African Americans exclusively as its most valuable player in Cam Newton, Patrick Mahomes, and now Lamar Jackson.

As the NFL celebrates 100 years, it’s hard to believe it has exclusively awarded just three African Americans the title of Most Valuable Player, namely, Cam Newton, Patrick Mahomes, and now Lamar Jackson. Steve McNair was named MVP in 2004 but shared the honor with Payton Manning. Doug Williams, Steve McNair, Donavan McNab, Colin Kapernick, Russel Wilson, Cam Newton, and Patrick Mahomes have all made it to the Super Bowl. Williams and Wilson have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.

Black players have faced an uphill battle trying to land and keep the position of quarterback in the NFL, a league where 70 percent of the players are black. Historically, the position of quarterback is one held by white players. In the early years of the NFL, many owners felt that although players of color possessed superior athletic ability, they could not lead, read, and understand the complexity of many NFL playbooks.

This type of systemic racism, although not wholly absent today, has faded over the last 20 years as the NFL has made strides by opening the doors for talented athletes of color to hold and excel in its most coveted position of QB.

In the 2019-2020 NFL season, five of the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL were African American, including Lamar Jackson, Russel Wilson, Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, and Dak Prescott. Had former MVP and franchise QB Cam Newton not been sidelined due to injury, it’s not hard to imagine there would have been six. Lamar Jackson, Russel Wilson, and Deshaun Watson made up half of the QB roster for the 2020 Pro Bowl. And, of course, Patrick Mahomes just defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV and was named MVP.

As African Americans celebrate Black History month and the NFL celebrates 100 years, it’s vital to acknowledge the progress the NFL has made; however slow it seems. Hopefully, the League continues moving toward a time when African American quarterbacks are no longer the exception; and one day soon are not referred to as “great Black quarterbacks,” but just as “great quarterbacks.”