Super Bowl – Sports are more than just a contest between two teams; each championship game has an unique backstory.
Despite the NFL’s highs and lows this season, the matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs is sure to be entertaining.
Two Black quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts, will compete for the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LVII for the first time.
Buildup
For a game of this scale, the majority of players tend to concentrate on tactics, game planning, and conditioning.
However, Mahomes and Hurts are aware of how serious the problem is because they want to spur a broad change in the subsequent generation of NFL players.
“It’s special,” said Patrick Mahomes, who is set to make his third Super Bowl appearance in Arizona this Sunday.
“There’s so many great ones that haven’t been recognized because of the stereotype of the Black quarterback not being able to have sustained success.”
“I’m glad that I’m able to be on this world stage with another quarterback in Jalen that’s able to play at a high level and prove that we’ve been able to do this the whole time.”
Jalen Hurts, who is 24 years old, will play in his first Super Bowl.
“It’s a historic moment,” said Hurts.
“To be on this platform and to give so many others so much inspiration moving forward, telling them that they can do it too. It’s a proud moment.”
NFL history made
Doug Williams entered the game in 1988 to make history as the first Black quarterback to compete in and win the Super Bowl.
Six more Black quarterbacks have entered the game since that time.
Russell Wilson and Mahomes are the only players to have won the Lombardi Trophy, however.
With Mahomes on the other side of the field, Jalen Hurts will become the eighth Black quarterback to compete on such a prestigious platform.
The competition serves as a hopeful source of inspiration for younger generations.
“I’ve learned more and more about the history of the Black quarterback since I’ve been in this league and the guys that came before me and Jalen set the stage for this,” said Majomes.
“I’m glad that we can set the stage for kids that are coming up now.”
“If we can continue to show that we can consistently be great, I think it’ll just continue to open doors for other kids growing up to follow their dreams and to be a quarterback of an NFL team.”
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The quarterback myth
The lack of diversity among owners and head coaches is one of the reasons why Black quarterbacks struggle in the NFL.
Due to a lack of trust, the idea that a Black quarterback could struggle in the position because of a lack of leadership potential has grown.
Doug Williams spoke about it in an interview with National Public Radio, saying:
“You know, as a Black quarterback, it was never about my ability to play the position. That wasn’t the question.”
“The question has always been leadership. Could you lead the team?”
Four of the top five highest-paying contracts in football were awarded to Black quarterbacks, therefore the discrimination appears to have been eliminated.
Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes are two examples.
For Mahomes, his ability to lead the club through a run of victories was never in question.
He even played through an ankle injury to help the Chiefs win their third Super Bowl in four years.
Hurt, meanwhile, won his deal as a result of his physical prowess, displacing skeptics with his accurate throwing and 22 passing touchdowns.
The prototypes
Not only are Mahomes and Hurts making history, but they are also setting new standards for what an NFL quarterback should be.
Both possess a high sports IQ as well as the ability to run and throw, which will help them succeed.
“These guys are the new prototypical quarterback in the NFL,” said Robert Griffin III, summing up the two Super Bowl quarterbacks.
“A triple threat. As they beat you with their arms, they beat you with their legs and they beat you with their minds.”
“And the fact that they’re the first two Black quarterbacks to be going up against each other in the Super Bowl makes this even more sweeter for all the generations that are coming up after them.”
Play styles
Both Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts are exceptional athletes, but they play different types of football.
Jalen Hurts is well known for his quickness, love of scoring touchdowns, and ability to throw hard.
Hurts has made remarkable progress in his early seasons and stood out for his great work ethic.
Many people consider Patrick Mahomes to be the NFL’s most exciting quarterback in the meanwhile.
He is known as a magician and has a wide variety of throws.
By making it to the AFC Championship game in his first season as a starter, Mahomes has also shown that he is a victor.
At 27, he has already played in three Super Bowls, demonstrating his potential in the NFL and opening doors for future Black quarterbacks.
Image source: Student Life Newspaper
