Top 10 Black Quarterbacks in NFL

Not long ago, many African American quarterbacks were sidelined or told outright that the position wasn't theirs. Today, Black quarterbacks flipped the script and brought genuine leadership, athleticism, and competition across the league.

Patrick Mahomes: Mahomes turns broken pockets into game-winning improvisations. With unmatched creativity and composure, he continues to redefine what leadership at the position looks like.

Lamar Jackson: Jackson shreds the field with his feet, then sneaks a deep ball behind bewildered safeties. NFL pros try to box him in, but he continuously breaks free and brings the offense with him.

Jayden Daniels: Daniels wasted no time proving himself with the Commanders. In his second year, he torches secondaries with speed, then drops soft spirals over outstretched defenders.

Jalen Hurts: Hurts' feet churn through mud puddles while defenders thrash behind him, but he'll just as likely thread a needle to A.J. Brown in high traffic.

Justin Fields: Fields carves up defenses with precision and grit, racking up passing yards and touchdowns with his dual-threat ability to blend efficient passing with chain-moving runs.

Cam Ward: Cam Ward came off the 2025 rookie draft first and walked straight into the huddle.

Geno Smith: Defying expectations, Smith's accuracy proves him to be Seattle's improbable north star as he precisely irons out his routines.

Tua Tagovailoa: This quick-trigger lefty is changing minds, sharpening lightning fades and cross-body throws for the Dolphins with haunting precision.

Dak Prescott: By no means flashy or prone to shenanigans, Prescott remains Dallas's steady hand. Week after week, he steadies the ship and keeps circling vultures at bay.

The numbers tell a story worth telling: 16 African American quarterbacks will start in Week 1 of the 2025 football season, compared to just five in 2011. And in the 2024–2025 playoffs, there were seven starting Black quarterbacks, the most in NFL history.