First off, shout out to Issa Rae for starting the trend.  Second, this is not against any non-person of color, but by being a person of color myself, I have to pull for people that look like me.  

If  you watch the National Football league you you notice a couple of things.

1) Most players are Black

2) Most coaches are not 

3) Most quarterbacks are also not black

By the numbers, there is definitely a racial divide in the NFL.  However, it seems that point number 3 might be changing in the near future. Let’s not get it wrong, there have  been plenty of stand out black quarterbacks in the league.  But right now we are focusing on this season and the tone it is setting for the future. Right now we are focusing on 3 star black quarterbacks.   Lamar Jackson (NFL MVP),  Patrick Mahomes II (Superbowl Champion and MVP) and Kyler Murray (Offensive Rookie of the Year) are the new generation of black quarterbacks in the league.  

Lamar Jackson, the winner of the Most Valuable Player (Unanimous Decision)in the National Football League was under a lot of scrutiny from the time that he declared for the draft from Louisville University.  He was selected number 32 overall of the 2018 draft  (the 5th quarterback selected that year) and was told that he shouldn’t be a quarterback and should change his position due to his athleticism.

Black players have dealt with racial stereotypes that kept black talent away from “thinking” positions.  These up and coming stars are changing that thinking dramatically.  Elena Bergeron of the New York Times is quoted “That welcoming has upended stereotypes about black quarterbacks being naturally superior athletes preferable only for their ball-carrying ability and not intellectually strategic game manager.” 

These ridiculous stereotypes have continued on to this day, with naysayers claiming that Lamar Jackson was good at hiding the ball because it “blended with his skin”. Lamar responded by winning a next game while wearing white arm sleeves. 

Patrick Mahomes II, the Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP, showed that black quarterbacks can win on the biggest of stages.  He is only one of two black quarterbacks to ever win Super Bowl MVP and the third black quarterback to win the Super Bowl.

Kyler Murry, new to the scene, is a rookie in the NFL. He was great enough in his first year in the NFL for him to take home NFL offensive rookie of the year.  Kyler is such an athlete that he was drafted 1st overall in the NFL and 9th overall in the MLB making him the only player ever to be drafted in the first rounds of both sports.  Not only is he accomplished in both sports, but he is also a blerd!  During the Fortnite Streamer Bowl Invitational tournament (which included 16 twitch streamers matched up with 16 NFL players) he came in 2nd.  

With nearly 70 percent of the NFL being black, and out of the 32 NFL teams only 10 of the teams having black starters, and only 8 black quarterbacks being on the bench , there is still an uphill battle before black quarterbacks take over the league.  We have seen plenty of great black quarterbacks pave the way for the young upstarts, but for the first time in history we are seeing a change in the guard with Black quarterbacks leading the way in MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and Offensive players of the year. And before you ask,  yes im rooting for them because they are Black. Happy Black History Month!