# No searching allowed: who are the 8 black QBs to ever start a Super Bowl? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-nfl\ **Created:** [February 12, 2023, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671 "2023-02-12T18:48:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/1 "2023-02-12T18:48:34Z")
I just saw this start on NFL Game Day. Off the top of my head I can think of Doug Williams, Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, and Donovan McNabb. Yeah I could look up the answer but can you name them, or the others, off the top of your head? No searching allowed: who are the 8 black QBs to ever start a Super Bowl? ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/2 "2023-02-12T20:13:49Z")
No searching… It started with Doug Williams (who was asked prior to the game how long he’d been a Black quarterback) Then, we have… Donovan McNabb Colin Kaepernick Patrick Mahomes Jalen Hurts (Hmmm…are you sure they aren’t counting Mahomes 3 times for each start?) ETA: D’oh! I re-read the OP. I forgot Russell Wilson! ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/3 "2023-02-12T20:29:36Z")
I searched. One I hadn’t heard of and one is obvious when you think about it. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/4 "2023-02-12T20:49:28Z")
I cheated, since it was bugging me. Steve McNair (later to be killed by his mistress) and Cam Newton (who couldn’t be bothered to try to recover his own fumble) were the other two I couldn’t recall ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/5 "2023-02-12T20:56:07Z")
Doug Williams Steve McNair Donovan McNabb Cam Newton Russell Wilson Lamar Jackson Deshaun Watson? Daunte Culpeper? I don’t know. Patrick Mahomes ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/6 "2023-02-12T20:59:47Z")
The eighth is starting today. Nice job on the other seven. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/7 "2023-02-12T21:05:26Z")
> [@RitterSport](#): > > Nice job on the other seven. No offense, but he got 2 wrong. Lamar Jackson hasn’t made it to the Super Bowl yet, and Culpepper and Watson haven’t been, either. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/8 "2023-02-12T21:07:17Z")
No, the eighth is Colin Kaepernick . I don’t think Hurts counts, since he hasn’t started yet. They were (almost) all fresh in my mind because I just saw a YouTube video yesterday that was about the best quarterbacks of various styles of play. All of these were mentioned, mostly as great scramblers, but a couple were in other categories. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/9 "2023-02-12T21:10:42Z")
Ah. I didn’t count Hurts. So there’s only 7 who have actually started as of now. And I’m not a he. (Just FYI). ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/10 "2023-02-12T21:20:05Z")
> [@eschrodinger](#): > > And I’m not a he. (Just FYI). I do apologize. No disrespect was intended, but I was clearly relying on a stereotype about football fans. So, ignorance fought! ---
**Author:** ![Falchion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Falchion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falchion)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/11 "2023-02-12T22:15:09Z")
Without looking, I’d have guessed McNair, McNabb, Mahomes, Wilson, Newton. I wouldn’t know the other three. Williams was before my time though. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/12 "2023-02-12T22:37:46Z")
He was the first. I remember him in particular because he used to play for the Bucs, who were ostensibly my home team growing up. They had a pretty toxic culture, though, and I hated them. People blamed most of the team’s problems on Williams at the time, and he wound up playing for Washington (I think he was traded). And then he won a Superbowl with Washington, which I thought was awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/13 "2023-02-12T22:47:51Z")
Was that the same Super Bowl where the Skins had a fourth and one and John Riggins ran the ball 40 yards around end? ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/14 "2023-02-12T23:28:27Z")
No, in that one they beat the Dolphins, and Joe Theismann was the quarterback. This was the ‘82 season. Williams won a few years later when the skins beat the Broncos after the ‘87 season. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2023, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/15 "2023-02-12T23:30:27Z")
Someday, Lamar. I won’t give up hope. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2023, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/16 "2023-02-13T01:49:57Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > It started with Doug Williams (who was asked prior to the game how long he’d been a Black quarterback) As great a story as that one is, Michael Wilbon and Bob Kravitz remember it rather differently - the reporter (Butch John of the Jackson _Clarion-Ledger_) asked “Obviously you’ve been a black quarterback all your life. When did it start to matter to people?” Williams apparently couldn’t hear the whole question, and when he answered “How long have I been a black quarterback?” the funny story was off to be races while the truth was still struggling with its shoelaces. Snopes has the details with references to contemporaneous accounts: > **[Did a Reporter Ask Doug Williams How Long He'd Been a Black Quarterback?](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/doug-williams-black-quarterback/)** > > A Super Bowl reporter did not ask Redskins QB Doug Williams how long he'd been a black quarterback. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2023, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/17 "2023-02-13T03:03:07Z")
I haven’t read the thread, let’s see if I can go through this chronologically: Doug Williams Steve McNair Donovan McNabb Russell Wilson Cam Newton Patrick Mahomes Jalen Hurts I’m missing one. I don’t remember the last dozen Superbowls as well as I remember the previous 30. Also I don’t know if I got the order correct with Russell Wilson and Cam Newton. It’s much harder to remember the losers. For example, I can’t remember who the Saints beat. EDIT: Now reading the thread, Colin Kaepernick, of course. I should have remembered him, but I didn’t remember that Superbowl at all. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2023, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/18 "2023-02-13T05:21:48Z")
The black QBs to start a Super Bowl: 22 — Doug Williams 34 — Steve McNair 39 — Donovan McNabb 47 — Colin Kaepernick 48, 49 — Russell Wilson 50 — Cam Newton 54, 55, 57 — Patrick Mahomes 57 — Jalen Hurts Thanks all! ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2023, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/19 "2023-02-13T07:14:42Z")
Thought this topic looked familiar. > [@NFL 2022: The Super Bowl](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-2022-the-super-bowl/979407/3): > > FWIW, here is the list of Black quarterbacks to start in a Super Bowl, and the outcomes: Doug Williams – Won Super Bowl XXII Steve McNair – Lost Super Bowl XXXIV Donovan McNabb – Lost Super Bowl XXXIX Colin Kaepernick – Lost Super Bowl XLVII Russell Wilson – Won Super Bowl XLVII and Lost Super Bowl XLIX Cam Newton – Lost Super Bowl 50 Patrick Mahomes – Won Super Bowl LIV, Lost Super Bowl LV ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2023, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671/20 "2023-02-13T14:19:51Z")
Sorry dude, clearly I missed that! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-searching-allowed-who-are-the-8-black-qbs-to-ever-start-a-super-bowl/979671.md?page=2)