The Black QB – Black History Month

In this edition of the Fan Rankings Black History Month series celebrating Black excellence in sports, we will look at the best black QBs in National Football League history. There was a time when black players were blocked from playing the quarterback position. 

Now, black players can play the position but still face those racist stereotypes. Still, these players, from the past to the now, overcome whatever is in front of them to play and excel in the position they love.  Without further ado, we will get to the list.

Honorable Mention

Kordell Stewart

Team(s): Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, & Baltimore Ravens

Career Stats: 77 TDs, 14746 Yds, 55.8 Cmp%

Stewart was a do it all weapon for the Steelers who led the team to two AFC championship appearances in 1997 and 2001. Stewart was the best quarterback that the Steelers had between Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger.

David Garrard

Team(s): Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, & New York Jets

Career Stats: 89 TDs, 16003 Yds, 61.6 Cmp%

Garrard was a good quarterback that led the Jaguars to playoff appearances in 2005 and 2007. The Jaguars have not found a long-term solution for him since he left Duval County.

Jalen Hurts

Team(s): Philadelphia Eagles

Career Stats: 44 TDs, 7906 Yds, 62.3 Cmp% *Still Active

We are still early into Jalen Hurts career but so far the Houston, Texas native looks to have proven many doubters wrong. Hurts so far in his young career has led the Philadelphia Eagles to a Wild Card and now a Super Bowl appearance (Super Bowl LVII).

This past season Hurts had 35 total touchdowns tying Randle Cunningham as a franchise best who is also on this list. He has been named to his first Pro Bowl and is a Second Team All-Pro. The future is bright for the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback.

Top 10 Black Quarterbacks

10. Daunte Culpepper

Team(s): Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, & Detroit Lions

Career Stats: 149 TDs, 24153 Yds, 63 Cmp%

Culpepper was one of the most prolific passers in the early 2000s when he made three Pro Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro in 2000.

He led the league in passing yards in 2004 and was on his way to having a Hall of Fame Career before he suffered a knee injury in 2005, and he was never the same after Stops in Miami, Oakland, and Detroit.

9. Doug Williams

Team(s): Tampa Bay Buccaneers & Washington Redskins

Career Stats: 100 TDs, 16998 Yds, 49.5 Cmp%

Williams is a trailblazer in the NFL with being the first black quarterback to win the Super Bowl. Williams completed18 for 29 for 340 yards and four touchdowns all in the second quarter. He won Super Bowl MVP and made history. 

He also had success earlier in his career in Tampa Bay leading the Buccaneers to their first-ever playoff appearance as they advanced to the NFC Championship game where they lost to the Los Angeles Rams 9-0.

8. Lamar Jackson

Team(s): Baltimore Ravens

Career Stats: 101 TDs, 12209 Yds, 63.7 Cmp% *Still Active

Jackson has not quite gotten back to his MVP level from 2019, but he is still making plays and still winning games. He rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2019 and 2020. He was injured for the last four games last season and that could be a concern moving forward in his career with his style of play.

This means it is paramount that he further develops his pocket passing game. Baltimore is going to have to change the way they construct the team after he gets his big contract.

7. Michael Vick

Team(s): Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, & Pittsburgh Steelers

Career Stats: 133 TDs, 22464 Yds, 56.2 Cmp%

The Michael Vick experience was the most captivating experience that I witnessed since I started watching football. I not unlike many fans, I used to use Vick all the time in Madden 2004. Vick made four Pro Bowl and won the 2010 Bert bell award which is presented by the Maxwell Football club player of the year in the NFL. 

Vick could have been on top of this list had he played a little bit smarter by not running so recklessly, playing out of the pocket, as well as being involved in the dogfighting scandal that almost destroyed his career.

6. Steve McNair

Team(s): Houston Oilers, Tennessee Titans, & Baltimore Ravens

Career Stats: 174 TDs, 31304 Yds, 60.1 Cmp%

McNair is one of the toughest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL. His ability to not practice much during the week, and come out of the trainer’s room to come out and still make plays while taking a punishment was amazing. 

He shared an MVP award with Peyton Manning in 2003. He led the Tennessee Titans to Super Bowl 34 and nearly led them to a miraculous comeback in which they came up one yard short of tying the game against the St. Louis Rams. McNair was a three-time Pro Bowler and led the league in passer rating in the 2003 season.

5. Donovan McNabb

Team(s): Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, & Minnesota Vikings

Career Stats: 234 TDs, 37276 Yds, 59 Cmp%

McNabb led the Eagles to five NFC title game appearances and one Super Bowl appearance in 2004. McNabb was a six-time Pro Bowler that was the forerunner of the dual-threat quarterback of the early 2000s and had he finished the comeback in Superbowl 39 that he may be wearing a Gold Jacket right now.

4. Randall Cunningham

Team(s): Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, & Baltimore Ravens

Career Stats: 207 TDs, 29979 Yds, 56.6 Cmp%

Cunningham was the most exciting player to watch in the league in the late eighties and early Nineties. He was the predecessor for mobile quarterbacks such as Jackson, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick.

He rushed for 978 yards in 1990 while throwing for over 3,400 yards and 30 touchdowns. He was the quarterback of the legendary 1998 Minnesota Vikings team who set the then single-season points scoring record with 556.

3. Russell Wilson

Team(s): Seattle Seahawks

Career Stats: 308 TDs, 40583 Yds, 64.6 Cmp% *Still Active

Wilson is a nine-time Pro Bowler that has been the most consistent, the most clutch quarterback in the league in the ten seasons that he has been in the league.

It is a shame that he has not gotten one MVP vote in his entire career playing behind a consistently leaky offensive line and the running game has not been quite the same since Marshawn Lynch left the Seahawks. With one more Super Bowl, he will be on top of this list. The question is will it be in Denver, Colorado.

2. Patrick Mahomes

Team(s): Kansas City Chiefs

Career Stats: 192 TDs, 24241 Yds, 66.3 Cmp% *Still Active

Mahomes is the best young quarterback in the NFL right now, formerly #6 ranked on this list and now #2 as the best black starting quarterback of All-Time after winning his second Super Bowl recently (Super Bowl LVII). Mahomes already has 2 Super Bowl rings, 2 MVP’s, and has led the Kansas City Chiefs to five consecutive AFC championship game appearances. 

Longevity is the only thing so far keeping him from #1 right now. At the end of his career he won’t be only the best Black Quarterback of All-Time but the best Quarterback of All-Time Period.

1. Warren Moon

Team(s): Houston Oilers, Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks, & Kansas City Chiefs

Career Stats: 291TDs, 49325 Yds, 58.4 Cmp%

Warren Moon, the only African American quarterback who is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, threw for 49,325 yards in his career with 291 touchdowns in his 17-year NFL career, while making nine Pro Bowls, and winning the 1990 NFL Offensive Player of the Year. 

Moon is not only on the top of his list just for his NFL accomplishments. He is here because of his accomplishments in the Canadian Football League. Moon won five consecutive Grey Cups for the Edmonton Eskimos from 1978-82 while leading the league in passing touchdowns three times, and winning the CFL Most Outstanding Player in 1983. He was great both in Canada and in the NFL.

Follow me on Twitter @bwalkerdadon

*Updated by FanRankingsHQ 2/12/2023

How would you rank the greatest Black Quarterbacks of All-Time? Rank below to be added in the Power Rankings. 

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