The career of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been progressing well since entering the league in 2017. He’s been named league MVP, he’s won a Super Bowl, and he’s secured one of the highest-paying contracts in sports history all before turning 26 years old.
Mahomes is already one of the most accomplished Black quarterbacks in NFL history. The topic of race has never been something Mahomes has shied away from in interviews or press conferences. He’s been outspoken about racial injustice and the need for change.
Mahomes’ playing style was recently criticized by an unnamed NFL defensive coordinator in an article for the Athletic. His ability to extend the play and improvise was deemed “streetball.”
“We love Mahomes because of his unorthodox throws, not because of his natural pocket presence,” said the anonymous defensive coordinator. “And when that disappears, that is when they lose games. I don’t think that is a 1. I think that is a 2. Nothing against the guy. I love the kid. But take his first read away and what does he do? He runs, he scrambles and he plays streetball.”
The same anonymous defensive coordinator also criticized Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s ability as a passer. It’s something that Jackson has heard dating back to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis where a throng of reporters pelted him with questions about whether he’d switch to wide receiver in the NFL.
Following the Chiefs’ Friday training camp practice, Mahomes was asked whether he felt Black quarterbacks are evaluated differently in the NFL. His response was about as perfect as you could expect.
“I don’t want to go that far and say that,” said Mahomes. “I mean obviously, the Black quarterback has to have a battle to be in this position that we are, to have this many guys in the league playing. I think every day we’re proving that we should’ve been playing the whole time. We’ve got guys that think just as well as they can use their athleticism, so it always is weird when you see guys like me and Lamar (Jackson), Kyler (Murray) kind of get that on them and other guys don’t, but at the same time we’re going to go there and prove ourselves every day to show that we can be some of the best quarterbacks in the league.”
The controversy surrounding Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray’s unique contract language regarding film study helped spur this question from reporters. The unusual clause in his contract mandated that he has four hours recorded weekly of playbook and film study, causing a stir around the league. The Cardinals ultimately removed the clause from his contract, but it’s yet another blemish on a league that has throughout its history had a certain preconception about the Black quarterback.
