2019 has been a great year for black quarterbacks in the NFL.
There have been few times in history where so many black quarterbacks are excelling in the NFL at one time. There are currently nine black quarterbacks who are starting for an NFL franchise in this moment in time.
After the surprise retirement of Andrew Luck, the Indianapolis Colts turned to Jacoby Brissett, a fourth-year player from NC State to be their starting quarterback.
In the first five games of the season, Brissett has led the Colts to a 3-2 record and has thrown for 1,062 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Another quarterback making a name for himself is Brissett’s AFC South rival, Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Watson came into the league as an electrifying quarterback from Clemson, who led the Tigers to a national championship in 2016 against Alabama.
Watson is continuously showing the league why he deserves the starting spot in Houston. He has more than 900 career rushing yards and 7,000 plus passing yards in two-plus seasons.
In New Orleans, Teddy Bridgewater is proving his greatness in the absence of Drew Brews. Bridgewater was formerly with the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets but has not been a full starter since 2015. In four full starts this season, Bridegwater has led the Saints to four victories and have kept them atop of the NFC South.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott boasts a 102.9 passer rating, 1,883 yards passing to go along with 11 touchdowns through the air. The Cowboys rank third in passing yards with 313 yards per game and are second in the league in total offense (443.7 yards per game) behind the Baltimore Ravens, per espn.com.
Although the Cowboys (3-3) have lost three straight, they are still atop the NFC East in going into a Week 7 matchup against their arch rival Philadelphia Eagles (3-3) on Sunday Night Football.
In Seattle, Russell Wilson has been leading the charge for Pete Carroll’s Seahawks since 2012. Wilson recently led the Hawks to a 32-28 victory on the road versus the Cleveland Browns. Throwing for 295 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for another.
Wilson has led the Seahawks to a 5-1 record while throwing for 1,704 yards, 14 touchdowns while throwing no interceptions this season, per Yahoo Sports.
The Seahawks quarterback already has a Super Bowl ring and six Pro Bowl selections to his name and by the looks of it he may be able to add league MVP to that resume.
Lamar Jackson is a human-highlight reel. Week after week Jackson shows his uncanny athletic ability and has shown immense improvement in the passing game.
The Ravens are first in the AFC North with a 4-2 record and they lead the league in rushing with 205 yards per game and they are 14th in passing which is better than what most critics expected.
Jackson made history in a Week 6 win versus the Cincinnati Bengals as he became the first player in NFL history to pass for 200 yards and rush for 150 yards in the same game per the Undefeated.
Kyler Murray, another former Heisman winner proving himself in the league. The 2019 first overall pick has led the Arizona Cardinals to their second consecutive win after losing three straight to start the season. The Cardinals only had three victories a season ago.
Murray has also become the third quarterback to pass for 300 yards in three of their teams first six games, per the Undefeated.
Second chances aren’t a rarity in the league but third and fourth chances are and for Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston maybe this chance finally jumpstarts the production many have wished happened previously.
The 2014 No. 1 overall pick has 1,771 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and has completed 60 percent of his passes this season, per Yahoo Sports.
Lastly, the 2018 NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes has led the Chiefs to a 4-2 record this year and has thrown for 14 touchdowns and leads the league in passing yards with 2,104 yards, per espn.com.
Whether it is team success or individual success black quarterbacks are flourishing and shining more than ever and the future looks bright for them.
