In a league where quarterbacks are often under more scrutiny than a ref’s eyesight on a goal-line stand, Patrick Mahomes decided to audible. The Kansas City Chiefs’ signal-caller, known for his no-look passes, took a hard look at the criticism aimed at fellow QBs Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray. And he didn’t like what he saw.
“We’re about to prove ourselves every day and show that we can be some of the best quarterbacks in the league,” Mahomes declared back in 2022. Fast forward to September 2024, and Mahomes is still calling out the defense–not on the field, but in the court of public opinion.
In the recently released Amazon Prime documentary ‘Evolution of Black QBs’ Mahomes peeled back the curtain on why he felt compelled to speak up. “It was more for guys like Lamar and Kyler, guys I watch on tape every single week,” he revealed. Mahomes saw beyond the highlight-reel scrambles, recognizing a pocket presence that often goes unnoticed. “You see that these guys are making throws from within the pocket. I mean, they’re making the throws they need to be made.”
The criticism lobbed at Lamar Jackson and Murray wasn’t just off-target–it was playing in a different ballpark altogether. One anonymous NFL defensive coordinator, quoted in a 2022 article by The Athletic, went as far as to say about Jackson, “I don’t (care) if he wins the league MVP 12 times, I don’t think he’ll ever be a 1 as a quarterback.” Murray, meanwhile, faced the indignity of an “independent study” clause in his contract extension, implying he didn’t hit the playbook hard enough.
Mahomes, who’s no stranger to unfair critiques himself, decided it was time to run interference. “When they get criticized like that, I feel like I’m in a place now where I can speak up for not only myself, but for them,” he stated. This comes from a quarterback who’s been accused of reverting to “streetball” when his first read is taken away, as noted by an anonymous defensive coordinator in The Athletic’s piece.
Breaking the huddle on dual-threat QBs
Let’s be realistic – When people talk about dual-threat African-American quarterbacks, there is a problem that is lingering in the league. And Mahomes‘ support for Jackson and Murray simply shifts it into sharper focus.
Richard Lapchick, president at The Institute for Sport and Social Justice, painted a stark picture of the past in a September 2024 article from Cronkite News: “There was a time when all the Black quarterbacks I knew, coming out of high school, going into college, were being told to become a linebacker, a tight end or some other position.” This wasn’t ancient history – even Jackson faced projections of a position switch before the 2018 NFL Draft, despite his Heisman Trophy win at Louisville.
The unfair labeling goes beyond just position changes. As former NFL quarterback Michael Bishop put it in the same Cronkite News piece, “They used to label us as athletes, athletic quarterbacks, instead of just quarterbacks.” This subtle distinction speaks volumes about the lingering bias in the league.
Despite the progress made – with a record 15 African-American quarterbacks starting in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season – the fight for equality is far from over. Bishop highlighted the ongoing double standards: “An African-American quarterback may throw an interception, but they describe it so much differently from the All-American white quarterback.” It’s these subtle differences that Mahomes is pushing back against, championing a future where quarterbacks are judged solely on their merit, regardless of race or playing style.
As the NFL continues to evolve, Mahomes’ stand serves as a reminder that sometimes the most important plays are made off the field. In the words of Bishop, “All we want is opportunities, that’s it. If I can’t play, prove to me I can’t play, don’t just hold me back and never give me the opportunity.” With leaders like Mahomes at the helm, the league might just be inching closer to that end zone of equality.
