After the New England Patriots officially signed Jacoby Brissett as their starting quarterback, history has been made again. For the fourth season over the last five, the NFL has broken a record for the most starting Black quarterbacks entering Week 1.
Last season, 14 different Black QBs started in Week 1. In 2022, 11 set the all-time NFL record. Nearly half (47%) of the starting quarterbacks are Black today.
In just five seasons, Lamar Jackson, 27, has clinched the AP MVP Award for the Ravens for the second time. Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, 22, who was named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, is being hailed as one of the most promising young talents the league has seen in years. Meanwhile, Cleveland Browns’ Deshaun Watson, a three-time Pro Bowler at 28, holds the largest guaranteed contract in NFL history. After an impressive first season as a starter, Jordan Love, 25, of the Green Bay Packers secured an NFL-record $75 million signing bonus with his new contract. Additionally, over the past two seasons, African American quarterbacks have earned the prestigious first- and second-team AP All-Pro spots.
In the last two NFL drafts, Black quarterbacks were chosen as the first overall picks, with three selected in the first round. Looking ahead to the class of 2025, the ESPN 300 rankings place Black quarterbacks in the top two spots among high school football players.
Over the course of 88 NFL drafts, starting with the first in 1936, only 31 Black quarterbacks have been selected in the first round. It wasn’t until 1978 that Doug Williams broke through that barrier. However, since 2011, there has been a noticeable shift, with 19 Black quarterbacks being picked in the first round, including one in nearly every draft except 2016 and 2022.
Here’s a look at all the starting NFL quarterbacks entering the 2024 season.
- Jacoby Brissett (New England Patriots)
- Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders)
- Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles)
- Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens)
- Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers)
- Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals)
- Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Colts)
- Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs)
- Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys)
- Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks)
- C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans)
- Deshaun Watson (Cleveland Browns)
- Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears)
- Russell Wilson (Pittsburgh Steelers)
- Bryce Young (Carolina Panthers)
Great players.