7 Best Black Quarterbacks in NFL History

The debate over who are top young black quarterbacks in today's NFL will rage on for years. But before Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson emerged as they did last season, there were seven black quarterbacks who made a mark that will be hard for them to eclipse. Warren Moon is the only Hall of Famer (2006) among the group, placing him at the top of the list. A poised leader who could deliver the ball downfield as well as any NFL quarterback, Moon threw for 49,325 yards and 291 touchdowns in a 17-year career. And this after having to play in Canada because the NFL shunned him out of college. Doug Williams is the only black quarterback to lead his team in a Super Bowl championship. He was MVP of the 1987 game with five touchdown passes when he led the Washington Redskins to a blowout win over the Denver Broncos. His was saddled with a motley crew his first five years in the league in Tampa Bay. He threw a beautiful ball, and his dignity and class were as critical as his play. Steve McNair’s life ended tragically on July 4, 2009, when he was murdered by a young woman with whom he allegedly had an affair. But in his 13 seasons in the NFL, McNair was as strong a leader on the field as anyone at the position. He threw for 174 touchdowns, 31,304 yards and added another 3,590 on the ground. He led Tennessee to the 1999 Super Bowl and the Titans fell three yards short on the final play of the game from the title. McNair was a three-time Pro Bowler and 2003 NFL MVP. Michael Vick has been highly productive in the position, running and passing with equal efficiency. He has more than 21,000 yards and 128 touchdowns and ran for almost 6,000 yards so far in his career, which could continue for another three years or so. Impressively, Vick came back after missing two seasons in prison for financing an illegal dogfighting ring, and took over as the Philadelphia Eagles’ QB. Randall Cunningham was Michael Vick before Michael Vick, causing defense migraines as he used running back skills and a dynamic arm to wreck opponents. With his long strides, Cunningham resembled a track star streaking up the sideline with defenders trailing. He threw for 207 TDs and 29,979 yards and rushed for 4,928 yards in 16 seasons. He retired in 2001 and has been passed over each year since 2006 by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. James Harris, sadly, often gets overlooked by NFL observers, but he was the first starting black quarterback in the NFL and dealt with the pressure of that position admirably, displaying composure, an ability to dissect defenses and a strong, accurate arm. He led the Los Angeles Rams to back-to-back conference championship games in the 1970s. If he had failed at the position, it might have taken longer for the later influx of black quarterbacks. Like Doug Williams, Harris was coached at Grambling University by the late, great Eddie Robinson. Donovan McNabb played all but the final two seasons of his 13-year NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he led the team to the 2004 Super Bowl. He passed for 37,276 yards and 234 TDs. He also ran for 3,459 yards. With McNabb at the helm, the Eagles advanced to five NFC championship games. He holds almost all significant Eagles quarterback records.

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