I have a friend who recently asked me how many African American quarterbacks are in the NFL for 2016? I was honestly a little shocked by the question, because it made me think about the lack of diversity within this particular league.
First of all, it’s important to understand that the NFL has always been a predominantly white league. African American players occupy a small minority of the league, making up just a quarter of the overall roster size in 2015. This means that African Americans are only represented in 13.5 percent of NFL players.
Secondly, African Americans have never really made much of a showing at the position of quarterback. This makes sense, since quarterbacks are usually the most talented and experienced members of a team, and African Americans were historically not given the same opportunity to develop their skills as white players. As a result, there are currently just eight African American quarterbacks in the entire league.
When we look at 2016, there are only seven: Cam Newton, Tyrod Taylor, Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, Colin Kaepernick and Ryan Fitzpatrick. That’s a really small number, considering the size and influence of the NFL. This lack of presence also has a real impact on the way that African Americans are viewed within the league.
I think that the current state of diversity in the NFL is really sad and discouraging. There are plenty of talented African American players out there who could make an amazing contribution to the league, but they are often overlooked or blocked from opportunities. It’s especially frustrating to see the number of African American quarterbacks steadily shrinking over the years. It indicates a lack of progress that could potentially have a huge impact on the future of the sport.
To make matters worse, these few players who do make the grade are often the targets of intense scrutiny. They must perform on a higher level than their white colleagues, or risk facing calls for dropping them from their team. This unfair expectation places a huge burden on African American players who are trying to make it in the NFL.
It’s also heartbreaking to hear stories of African American quarterbacks being denied access to the league, simply because of their skin color. This kind of discrimination is inexcusable, and unless something is done to rectify the situation, we will continue to see the same level of inequality in the league.
I believe that the NFL needs to take serious action to invest in more diversity both on and off the field. They need to create more meaningful pathways for African American players to enter the league, and provide equal opportunity for all players to develop their skills. There also needs to be a stronger system of support in place for African American quarterbacks, as well as other minorities, so that they can feel as though they belong in the league.
These efforts will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the overall quality of the NFL, and will show that the league is serious about embracing diversity. It’s time for the league to step up and do the right thing.