It has sparked an important and ongoing discussion about the treatment of Black quarterbacks in the NFL. This discussion focuses on high-profile examples such as Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos and Justin Fields of the New York Jets. Wilson took to social media to air his grievances in public when he was benched for rookie Jaxson Dart. At the same time, Jets owner Woody Johnson came under fire for his comments about Fields’ performance.
It was a stormy 2020 season that tried Wilson’s patience beyond its breaking point, resulting in a Twitter thread for the ages. He pointed to the example of criticism that has followed him throughout his career. Even after 15 years in the league, he doesn’t believe that a media narrative hasn’t painted him as the target.
“Classless… but not surprised…. Didn’t realize you’re still bounty hunting 15+ years later through the media,” – Russell Wilson
The situation intensified when Broncos’ head coach Sean Payton appeared to make a veiled reference to Wilson’s benching during a press conference. Payton defended himself by saying that his remarks were just focused on Dart—who played poorly—while he wasn’t trying to come at Wilson at all.
“I did [see it]. In the euphoria, the way that game unfolded, that was strictly about Dart. And that was in no way, shape or form anything that was directed at Russ,” – Sean Payton
The irony wasn’t lost on Payton, who admitted he’d been surprised to see Wilson twist his comments that way in the wake of such a loss.
Johnson’s remarks regarding Fields have garnered criticism. In the final straw, Jets players ran an anonymous survey within the NFL Players Association and collectively assigned their owner an F grade. This decision reflects their serious frustration with management. Johnson acknowledged that Fields has been the biggest factor in the Bears’ offensive futility. He pointed to reasons why the offense isn’t clicking and he hinted that the passing inconsistency is impacting their run game.
“The offense is just not clicking, and you can’t run the ball if you can’t pass the ball,” – Woody Johnson
When you consider this backdrop, it only emphasizes the tragic legacy within the NFL that has all but excluded Black quarterbacks. Even with the historic rise in African American starting quarterbacks, lack of respect and equitable treatment still remain a part of the conversation. Coaches and management will blame the game-day experience instead of tackling the bigger issues haunting their club.
No athlete today embodies the evolution of the Black quarterback more than the star of the Philadelphia Eagles, Jalen Hurts. Hurts’ love for the game was cultivated through practices with his father in high school. Over the course of his career he’s had to adjust to the gameplans of a lot of different offensive coordinators. His story, and his resilience, fits in with the larger narrative of Black quarterbacks overcoming systemic racism and discrimination.
“I was born into this stuff because of my dad. I’m happy it happened that way,” – Jalen Hurts
Just the experiences of Cam Newton should be enough to prove this point. Newton’s unprecedented play-making ability and charismatic confidence drew heavy scrutiny. Unlike his white counterparts, he didn’t just receive criticism; it was almost always more fierce. Neither Wilson nor Colin Kaepernick played the lead role in their team’s success. Rather, they were viewed as supporting characters in the quest to lead their teams to victory.
At the same time, Tyrod Taylor, their prized free agent acquisition, went down with an injury that sidelined him in a key battle against the Cincinnati Bengals. His situation brings to light just how quickly fortunes can change for the players in the league—not only for those who are in more tenuous positions.
The perennial debate on the viability of Black quarterbacks forces us to question the accountability of ownership in the NFL. Even former players and developers have chimed in about how their feedback was managed, feeling that management gardened problems rather than fixed them.
“Rather than addressing concerns, players believed that management responded to feedback by making conditions worse,” – NFLPA
This league is changing. In order to provide a level playing field among all participants, irrespective of their race, we need to address these systemic injustices that have prevailed over decades. The legacy of these cheap shots at Black quarterbacks continues to last even today. This disappointing reality underscores the tremendous need for systemic change from within the NFL.
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