Alright, listen up, y’all. We gonna talk about these football fellas, the ones throwin’ the pigskin. They call ’em quarterbacks, and we got a whole bunch of ’em now that ain’t the color they used to be, if you catch my drift.
The Black Quarterbacks in the NFL, that’s what we’re talkin’ about. It wasn’t always like this, you know. Back in the day, you hardly saw a black fella throwin’ the ball. They said they couldn’t do it, said they weren’t smart enough or somethin’. Hogwash, I say! Hogwash!
Now, I ain’t no fancy sports person, but even I can see things have changed. We got a whole mess of ’em now, these black quarterbacks. They ain’t just sittin’ on the bench no more, they’re leadin’ the whole dang team! Heard tell there’s like, 15 of ’em startin’ games these days. That’s a powerful lot, wouldn’t you say?
- Used to be, they’d stick ’em in other spots, runnin’ the ball or catchin’ it. Said they were “athletes,” not “thinkers.” Like a fella can’t be both!
- This fella, Marlin Briscoe, they say he was the first one back in ’68. Brave fella, I reckon, takin’ all that heat. Paved the way for the rest of ’em, like clearin’ a path through the briar patch.
And there’s been others, lots of ’em. Heard about this Warren Moon fella. They didn’t even want him at first, said he wasn’t good enough. But he showed ’em, didn’t he? Went on to be a real star, they say. Showed them city slickers a thing or two, I bet.
This Michael Vick fella, he’s another one. Heard he had some troubles, but he came back strong. Now he’s goin’ around talkin’ about the history of these black quarterbacks, makin’ sure folks don’t forget. That’s important, you know, rememberin’ where you come from and how you got here.
These sportswriters, they used to call up these older fellas, like James Harris and Doug Williams, every time a new young black quarterback came along. Wanted their opinion, I guess. Seein’ if they thought this new fella was the real deal. Must’ve been a lot of pressure on them young fellas, always havin’ to prove themselves.
It ain’t just about throwin’ the ball, you see. It’s about leadin’. The quarterback, he’s the one callin’ the plays, tellin’ everyone what to do. He’s gotta be tough, gotta be smart, gotta be a leader. And these black quarterbacks, they’re showin’ the world they can do it all.
And let me tell you, it ain’t easy bein’ a quarterback, no matter what color you are. Everyone’s watchin’ you, blamin’ you when things go wrong, praisin’ you when things go right. It’s a heavy load to carry, like haulin’ water from the well all day long.
But these fellas, they’re tough. They take the hits, they get back up, they keep on fightin’. They’re inspiring, you know? Makes you think anything’s possible if you just put your mind to it.
Now, they got all these fancy names for the plays and all that, I can’t keep up. But I know a good leader when I see one. And these black quarterbacks, they’re leadin’ their teams, winnin’ games, and makin’ a difference. And that’s somethin’ to be proud of, no matter who you are or where you come from.
So next time you’re watchin’ the football game, pay attention to these quarterbacks. They ain’t just throwin’ a ball, they’re carryin’ a whole lotta history on their shoulders. And they’re doin’ a mighty fine job of it, if you ask me.
And that’s all I gotta say about that. Now, where’s my sweet tea? All this talkin’s made me thirsty.
Tags: NFL, Black Quarterbacks, Football History, Quarterback Pioneers, Michael Vick, Marlin Briscoe, Warren Moon, Sports Leadership, African American Athletes