Posted on 09/29/2019 7:49:34 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
As the NFL celebrates its centennial season, a rising vanguard of African American quarterbacks is shattering stereotypes at a position once considered off-limits to black players
From his seat at M&T Bank Stadium during last weekend’s NFL game between the Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals, Cyrus Mehri knew he was witnessing something special.
In a matchup of the youngest African American starting quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era, 22-year-old Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, the top pick in this year’s draft, threw for 349 yards in only his second professional contest.
Not to be outdone, second-year Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, also 22, became the only player in regular-season league history to throw for at least 270 yards and rush for at least 120 yards, leading Baltimore to a 23-17 victory.
As a fan, Mehri was thrilled. And as the civil rights attorney who helped establish the Rooney Rule – which requires NFL teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operations jobs – he understood the deeper significance of the moment for a league that long has excluded African Americans from its most important and celebrated on-field position.
“Kyler Murray showed maturity beyond his years,” Mehri said. “They had no running game. The stadium is so loud. It was 100% on him. And he carved up the defense.
“Then you look at Lamar Jackson. His field awareness was so impressive. He can sense the pass rush and escape. He places the ball with nice touch. He’s showing the complete game.
“We’re trying to overcome 100 years – literally 100 years! – of stereotyping of black quarterbacks. And they demolished all of them in that one game.”
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
I was watching some interviews NFL stars of long ago, black and white, including Paul Warfield and John Mackey.
By comparison, today’s black players are a disgrace to their people.
Warfield, Mackey, and many others were gentlemen of color, athletes, sportsmen, who deserved to be on that field.
Today’s black NFL stars are for the most part arrogant, pampered babies — one step away from prison.
Meanwhile, talented and disciplined white players never get a fair look from brain-dead coaches who have bought into this myth of black athletic superiority.
Randall Cunningham
The more outlandish the behavior, the more screen time the player gets.
Consider the number of kids that watch ESPN and how sports are worshiped in this country and you can begin to understand how the shift in attitude happened.
That goes for black *and* white players. Gronk,an amazing talent,was known for his spikes. Pretty low rent IMO.As I said...it goes for black *and* white.
Pretty soon, only the kickers will be white in the NFL. And those will be female.
One of the most decent human beings on the planet.
The day the Panthers drafted Cam was the day I stopped being a Panthers fan. Has nothing to do with the man’s race and everything to do with his character. I couldn’t root for a team that looked to him as a leader.
For boycotting there sure is a lot of talk here.
I was thinking 3/4-backs. If you can throw for 270 yards and run for 120 then you’re a 1/4 back + 1/2 back.
Active in the church, correct?
I believe he was and still is.
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