Patrick Mahomes is the Black quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. Jalen Hurts is the Black quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mahomes and Hurts will lead their respective teams in this year’s Super Bowl. That will be a first in NFL history. I am happy for them. But I am not celebrating.
Black quarterbacks are in the Super Bowl
Doug Williams led his team to victory in the Super Bowl way back in 1987. He was the first Black to do so.
But that was 36 friggin’ years ago, folks! And even back then, any fair-minded fan should’ve wondered why that took so long.
Good enough for the NCAA but not the NFL?
Only the presumed prerogatives of White supremacy explain this fateful delay. That’s because White owners and coaches alike perpetuated a racist stereotype.
They insisted that Blacks were not smart enough to play quarterback. So they barred thousands of Blacks from playing this position throughout NFL history.
They tried to do the same to Hurts. When he was drafted a few years ago, they told him he should play wide receiver.
I’m an Eagles fan. So I am biased, But based solely on how Hurts overcame this lingering stereotype, I’d be rooting for them to win.
Celebrating Black quarterbacks
Only a perverse form of Stockholm Syndrome explains this celebration. Frankly, it smacks of White racists being like hostage takers. And Stockholm Syndrome is forcing their Black hostages to celebrate.
Because those White SOBs are finally treating them like human beings. That is, after holding them in captivity for decades.
Even so, two White players, Jason and Travis Kelce, are stealing much of Mahomes and Hurts’ thunder. These Kelce brothers are the first to appear in a Super Bowl on opposing teams. And the media coverage of their first is rivaling that of these Black quarterbacks.
Hell, even their proud White mom is getting comparative media coverage. I’m happy for the Kelces. But damn, man!
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