Fourteen Black Quarterbacks Get the Start in Week 1 of the NFL Season… Setting an All-Time League Record
Jake Fenner, Daily Mail, September 10, 2023
The NFL will kick off its season with more diversity at the quarterback position than at any other time in its history.
Fourteen black quarterbacks are getting the nod for their respective teams this week – which sets a league record.
Patrick Mahomes, one of the fourteen, started in the first game of the season – as his Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Detroit Lions this past Thursday.
Of those 14 QB’s, three of them are rookies getting their first start in the league.
Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers, C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans, and Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts will be getting their first taste of regular season football.
Young, the first overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, will lead the Panthers against NFC South rivals Atlanta.
Stroud, who was taken second overall, will have a tough task against Baltimore.
Finally, Richardson, taken fifth overall, will be hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Elsewhere, there are a number of players getting their first taste of Week 1 starts who did not do so last season.
Josh Dobbs, who was only recently acquired by the Arizona Cardinals, will start over the injured Kyler Murray when the Cards travel to Washington.
Desmond Ridder is in his second season with the Atlanta Falcons. He’ll lead the ‘Dirty Birds’ against Young and the Panthers.
Jordan Love is the first Black Week 1 starting QB in Green Bay Packers history. He takes on fellow Black QB Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears.
As for the remaining matchups for Black quarterbacks, Deshaun Watson kicks his season off in a ‘Battle of Ohio’ as he leads the Cleveland Browns against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Jalen Hurts leads the Philadelphia Eagles into Foxborough to take on the New England Patriots.
Meanwhile, Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos host the Las Vegas Raiders in the mid-afternoon slate.
Additionally, Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks will be visited by the Los Angeles Rams.
In Sunday Night Football, Dak Prescott will be traveling to New York as his Dallas Cowboys take on the Giants.
There are three all-black quarterback matchups this week.
In addition to Packers-Bears and Falcons-Panthers, Lamar Jackson leads the Baltimore Ravens against rookie C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans.
Baltimore is a special case, as they’re believed to have the first-ever all-Black quarterback room in the NFL.
In addition to Jackson, the starter, the Ravens boast backup quarterbacks Josh Johnson and Tyler Huntley. They’re led by quarterbacks coach Tee Martin and assistant QB coach Kerry Dixon.
