Mahomes v Hurts: America’s fear of a Black quarterback begins to fade

Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts have built on the achievements of other Black quarterbacks such as Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson, Cam Newton and Doug Williams. Composite: Guardian Pictures

Thirty-five years ago a harsh spotlight shone on Washington’s Doug Williams. He was the story of Super Bowl XXII, the first Black quarterback to start in the NFL title game. In the run-up to the game he was blitzed with questions about his race, but this was the one that hit home.

Reporter: “How long have you been a Black quarterback?”