The Black Quarterbacks Who Revolutionized Pro Football (Basic Books, September, 2023).
The History of the Black Quarterback in Professional Football by Sports Journalist John Eisenberg in his 11th book. Get your copy of Rocket Men here.
Based on in-depth interviews of players, coaches, and talent insiders, including NFL greats like Warren Moon and Ozzie Newsome, Eisenberg reveals the surprising and at times grim stories of Black quarterbacks’ struggles to be able to play in the league.
At the center of their stories are stereotyping, denial, and institutional racism. Generations of Black men did not have the chance to play at quarterback due to beliefs that they weren’t smart or capable enough to be leaders.
This book has an in-depth look at the hardships and rejection that African-American signal-callers went through in the first century of Professional Football. Their stories are of perseverance, deterination, and strength and what they did for the modern QBs of color.
Here are some of the legendary signal caller that John tells the history of:
- James Harris from Grambling was a QB of the Buffalo Bills 1969 NFL Draft
- Fritz Pollard
- Dave Myers 1930 Staten Island Stapeltons, 1931 Brooklyn Dodgers - switched from QB NYU to guard in the pros
- Joe Lillard Chicago Cardinals 1933. Took shotgun snaps against the Pittsburgh Pirates Sept 27, 1933.
- Kenny Washington
- Emlen Tunnell NY Giants, was a QB but switched to DB
- Bernie Custis 1951 became the first Black QB drafted in NFL - Cle Browns - He was released and went to CFL Hamilton Ti-Cats and played QB
- Willie Thrower - came in for George Blanda in a Oct 1953 game vs 49ers - 1st black NFL QB to take a snap in 27 years
- George Taliaferro HB that occasionally took snaps. In 1953 became the 1st black QB to start an NFL game (month after Thrower took snaps) for Balt Colts
- Doug Williams first Black QB to win a Suoer Bowl
- Michael Vick 1st black QB to get selected #1 overall in NFL Draft
- Warren Moon 1st black QB to go into Pro Football HOF
- Steve McNair 1st to share in the NFL MVP Award
- Cam Newton 1st Black QB to win NFL MVP outright Charlie Brackens Green Bay Packers Draft Pick in 1955
- Sandy Stephens - Univ of Minnesota and AFL Titans and NFL Browns both drafted Stephens
- Tony Dungy
- Elrdige Dickey
- Marlin Briscoe
- Jimmy Raye
- Henry Johnson
- CFL's Chuck Ealey September 11, 1973 BC Lions vs Montreal 1st time in pro football 2 Black QBs started on opposing teams Ealey and Jimmy Jones
- Jimmy Jones of Alabama
- Condredge Holloway - Tennessee Vols - CFL HOF
- John Walton - LA Rams then WFL - Phil. Eagles under Dick Vermeil as a backup QB
- Joe Gilliam - Steelers
- Dante Culpepper
- Randall Cunningham
- Colin Kapernick
- Rodney Peete
- Kordell Stewart
- Jeff Blake
- Sean King
- Charlie Batch
- Donovan McNabb
- Michael Vick
- Cam Newton
- Jacoby Brissett
- Russell Wilson
- Patrick Mahomes
- Dak Prescott
- Lamar Jackson
- Deshawn Watson
- Jalen Hurts
