The Dallas Cowboys versus the New Orleans Saints. Prime time, national television this past Sunday night, Week 4.
The Saints versus the Seattle Seahawks last Sunday, the Houston Texans in Week 1 and the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday, Week 5.
The Baltimore Ravens versus the Kansas City Chiefs, Week 3. The Indianapolis Colts versus KC on Sunday, then KC visits Houston the following week.
Each of these teams, Dallas, New Orleans, Seattle, Houston, Tampa, Baltimore, Kansas City and Indianapolis along with the Arizona Cardinals and Washington, the nation’s capital team, feature Black starting quarterbacks, a position that at one time was uncommon for a Black man to fill. It was a rarity.
Warren Moon, the first Black quarterback to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, had to play six years in the Canadian Football League before playing in the NFL. He wasn’t even recruited out of high school.
“Back then they didn’t scout guys the way they do now. I wasn’t even invited to the combine,” said Moon in an interview. “No teams gave me an individual workout.”
Overall, 10 Black quarterbacks will start this weekend. Some in not the best of situations, but they’ll lead an NFL team in Week 5 of this season. There would be 11 if Cam Newton, quarterback for the Carolina Panthers, wasn’t injured. Last year, including Newton, there were seven Black starters in total.
At QB this week will be Dak Prescott for the Cowboys; Deshaun Watson, Houston; Jacoby Brissett, the Colts; Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay; Lamar Jackson, Baltimore; Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City; and Russell Wilson, the 2013 Super Bowl winner with Seattle.
There’s also Teddy Bridgewater, the New Orleans Saints backup QB at the position for their injured starter Drew Brees, now out due to a hand injury. And Dwayne Haskins from Ohio State, Washington’s first round pick, chosen 15th in this year’s draft who replaced their team’s starter Case Keenum last Sunday. Keenum and the team has been struggling to get a win.