Look at How the Position Has Evolved Through the Years 💪
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be the first African American QB drafted No. 1. – Vick
There was a time—sadly—when black quarterbacks were rare exceptions in the NFL. Fast forward to 2024 and 15 black quarterbacks are starting. Prime Video looks at how the position has grown…and how those who have played the position in NFL games want to make sure it continues to find newer and brighter horizons.
🚨 @MichaelVick is making waves in Prime’s new trailer for Evolution of the Black QB! 🏈🔥
Catch the action and history in the making! 🎥👀#BlackQB #MichaelVick #PrimeVideo #NFLhttps://t.co/D6Y9h36fUi
— LockerRoom RAW (@LockerRoom_RAW) September 5, 2024
Michael Vick Is the Maestro in Video
The player who changed the position as much as anyone for black quarterbacks, Michael Vick, takes a trip through history and across the country to learn from black quarterbacks and how they made NFL news in their careers. The series starts Sept. 24 on Prime Video and is an eight-part documentary.
Vick was a No. 1 overall pick out of Virginia Tech by the Atlanta Falcons. Blessed with incredible speed and a powerful arm, the NFC South team knew it had a difference-maker at QB.
.@MichaelVick turns 44 today 🎂
Imagine him in today’s NFL… pic.twitter.com/WWInV1Zr9z
— NFL (@NFL) June 26, 2024
“I’m excited to be a part of this project because as a kid, I just wanted to have a shot at playing in the National Football League,” Vick said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be the first African American quarterback drafted No. 1.
“I know that was a big step for us in society. I was always told that I revolutionized the quarterback position, but I also like to give credit to the ones who I idolized as a kid and who paved the way like Randall Cunningham, Steve McNair and Donovan McNabb. When you look at the evolution of the Black quarterback, it’s because of the people that came before us. And now, I’m thankful for the dual threat concept that has changed the game for the better.”
Raiders Historic Decision
Vick knows what he speaks. For decades, the few black quarterbacks who made it from college to the NFL found themselves quickly dispatched to other positions. A perfect example is Eldridge Dickey, the first black quarterback to be taken in the first round of a draft. Oakland’s No. 1 pick in 1968 soon found himself at wide receiver. The second-round pick that year was Alabama’s Ken Stabler. So, a player chosen later than a first-rounder was given the keys to the offense while a first-rounder was sent to play wideout.
Gene Upshaw. Eldridge Dickey. Art Shell.
We celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth by recognizing a few of the game’s historic trailblazers. pic.twitter.com/BuHYQmMIZd
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) February 13, 2020
Dickey played in 1968 and ‘71 and caught five passes for 112 yards and a TD. Was he not given the chance to play QB because of the color of his skin? Reports believed Dickey outplayed Stabler in camp but the team was not about to put a black quarterback in the leadership position on offense. It’s impossible to confirm this decades later but if true it is a stain on the league.
Vick Leads the Falcons
Vick had two parts to his story, playing six seasons, missing two due to the NFL personal conduct policy, then returning for seven more with three teams. Vick’s NFL stats with Atlanta were impressive: He threw for 11,505 yards and 71 touchdowns. When he returned to the league it was with the Philadelphia Eagles. Vick played five seasons in Philly, then one with the Steelers and one with the Jets. He rushed for more than 6,109 yards, including 1,039 in 2006. Overall, off the field and on the field, he has a net worth of $16 million.
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He finished his career 61-51-1 as a starter but his impact was far greater. He was the ultimate dual-threat quarterback. A role that is commonplace in today’s NFL.
Other Interview Subjects
Among the black quarterbacks interviewed for the series are Dak Prescott, Warren Moon, Donovan McNabb, and others. These are players who changed the NFL and the results of franchises and games. They know the importance of their roles in the position and they want to make sure the imprint continues to be recognized while also seeing those who follow continue to be game-changers.
Vick works for FOX Sports and is the face of BetUS. He is also a player who changed the position of quarterback and worked through trials and tribulations to right himself and build a career on the field and off it. His life is one black quarterback can certainly draw from when it comes to building their legacies.
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