The first black quarterback to start an AFL professional football game was Marlin Briscoe. Briscoe started a game for the Denver Broncos in the American Football League (AFL). This was a full 2 years before the league merged with the NFL.
James Harris was the first starting black quarterback in the NFL. He started 2 games for the Buffalo Bills in 1971, after the Bills entered the NFL.
Although the leagues merged their records books as part of the merger, to not make a distinction between the leagues in a matter is simply wrong. An analogy would be how Major League Baseball maintains records and refers to such events. Jackie Robinson was the first black player in the Major Leagues with NL Brooklyn Dodgers. However, Larry Doby broke the color barrier in the American League with the Cleveland Indians. Like Robinson and Doby, Briscoe's and Harris's milestones are separate events.
Marlin Briscoe played for the Denver Broncos as a rookie, he started 14 games with 1498 yrds and 14tds. The next season he was converted to wide receiver and was also part of the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. He still holds many of the Broncos' rookie records. There is a film in production about his life.
Briscoe's book, the somewhat mis-titled "The First Black Quarterback: Marlin Briscoe's Journey to Break the Color Barrier and Start in the NFL" can be found at Amazon.com although they only have autographed copies listed. You can visit the links at the bottom of this answer to learn more about his life and the texts (books and movies) being developed about him.
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∙ 12y agoJoel Ciszewski
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∙ 15y agoDoug Williams, Tampa Bay, against Vince Evans, Chicago Bears on September 30, 1979. Tampa Bay won 17-13.
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∙ 14y agoWillie Thrower first to play. Marlin Briscoe the first to start.
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∙ 14y agoWiki User
∙ 14y agoThe (unofficial) QB was Frederick Pollard, and it was in the 1920. Pollard threw two passes for the Akron Pros in 1920, completing one for 6 yards.
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∙ 12y agoWillie Thrower.
He never started a game, but played as a backup for the 1953 Chicago Bears.
He complete 3 of 8 passes for 27 yards and 1 intereception.
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∙ 8y agoEldridge Dickey of the Oakland Raiders was the first African American quarterback in the NFL. He was a 1968 first-round draft pick.
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∙ 12y agoGeorge Taliaferro, Baltimore Colts, 1953.
the first African American quarterback drafted was Fritz Pollard
Fritz Pollard was the first African American quarterback in the NFL. He was also the first African American coach in the NFL.
14. Thrower played in 1 game for the 1953 Bears and was the first African American to play quarterback in an NFL game after World War II.
Cam Newton ;)
Brady Quinn
The second black quarterback to play was Marlin Briscoe. Willie Thrower was the first.
Frederick "Fritz" Pollard is generally credited as the first black quarterback in professional football. He is also the first black football player to play in the Rose Bowl (1918). In 1923, playing for Hammond in the American Professional Football Association (The APFA was the forefather of the NFL) he called plays and took direct snaps from the center, although forward passes were rare in those early days of professional football. In 1953, Willie Thrower became the first black quarterback in the NFL's modern era. He was a backup QB for the Chicago Bears. Also in 1953, George Taliaferro became the first black quarterback to start a game in the NFL when he did this twice for the Baltimore Colts. The Colts were running a wing T and the ball would be snapped to Taliaferro and he would decide to run, pitch, or pass. The first black quarterback to start a playoff game and also appear in a Pro Bowl was the Rams' James Harris during the mid 1970s. The first black quarterback to win the Super Bowl was the Washington Redskins' Doug Williams.
the first African American quarterback drafted was Fritz Pollard
An event in history for October 18th was the first black quarterback in the NFL in 1953. Another happened in 1898 when the U.S. flag was raised in Puerto Rico.
Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans in 2006.
Willie Thrower Chicago Bears 1953
The first Hispanic quarterback in the NFL was Tom Flores. He became a member of the Oakland Raiders in 1960.
This is a matter of opinion. I would have to say Donovan McNabb is the best black quarterback to play today.
doug Williams