US EditionNFL History: See the 16 Black Starting Quarterbacks Week 1 of the NFL Season 2025
Half of the NFL's starting quarterbacks are Black for the first time, reflecting decades of overcoming racial bias and highlighting a significant cultural shift in professional football.
- The NFL's 2025 season began with an unprecedented milestone as half of the starting quarterbacks—totaling sixteen—are Black, setting a new record for Week 1 starters.
- This milestone follows decades of exclusion and stereotypes that limited Black quarterbacks, beginning with pioneers like Marlin Briscoe in 1968.
- The 2025 starters build on a legacy including Doug Williams, the first Black Super Bowl-winning quarterback in 1988, and Warren Moon, the first inducted into the Hall of Fame.
- Doug Williams emphasized that the NFL focuses on providing opportunities to demonstrate ability rather than judging individuals based on their skin color.
- This record shows the NFL's evolving inclusivity and signals new possibilities, though challenges and scrutiny persist for Black quarterbacks.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Rooting For Everybody Black: 16 Black Quarterbacks Will Start Week 1—A First In NFL History
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – AUGUST 16: Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on against the Cleveland Browns during the NFL Preseason 2025 game at Lincoln Financial Field on August 16, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Cleveland Browns defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 22-13. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) By Kimberly Wilson ·Updated September 4, 2025 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… When the NFL kicks off Week 1 t…
NFL Makes History with Record 16 Black Quarterbacks Starting Week 1
Milestone Reflects Growing Diversity and Opportunity at the NFL’s Most Critical PositionSeptember 4, 2025New York, NY - As the National Football League (NFL) kicks off its 2025 season, a historic milestone will mark the opening week: a record 16 Black quarterbacks are set to start as their teams’ QB1s. This unprecedented number, representing half of the league’s 32 starting quarterback positions, surpasses the previous record of 15 set in the 20…
Global Grind
Throwing Their Names Into The History Books: Meet The 16 Black Starting Quarterbacks In The NFL In 2025
Source: Mitchell Leff / Getty For much of its early history, the National Football League largely excluded Black athletes from the quarterback position due to racial stereotypes and institutional bias. Trailblazers like Fritz Pollard (who played quarterback in the early professional era in the 1920s) and Willie Thrower (the first Black quarterback to appear in a modern NFL game in 1953) broke through against long odds. Despite impressive collegi…
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