Lamar Jackson Featured in Jason Reid's New Book 'Rise of the Black Quarterback'

ESPN writer looks into history and future of black quarterbacks.

Jason Reid, senior NFL writer for ESPN, has published a new book, "Rise of the Black Quarterback: What It Means for America.” 

The book delves into the history of black quarterbacks in the NFL that were once told coming out of college to switch positions or they wouldn’t be drafted. There was a perception that they lacked the work ethic and intelligence to comprehend NFL playbooks, couldn’t lead white men, or summon the toughness to play through pain. 

That changed over the years with trailblazing players like Doug Williams.  

Today, young superstars like Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes are further revolutionizing not only the landscape of the NFL but the entire culture of sports. 

Raven Country talked to Reid about his new book. 

Raven Country: Even with the rise of the black quarterback, why do you think many of these players still face a bias at the position?

Reid: Generally speaking, I don’t think they do. It’s no longer surprising to see Black quarterbacks selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Black QBs are among the highest-paid players in the NFL, whether we’re talking about total guaranteed money or average annual value — Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray, Mahomes, Dak Prescott and Russell Wilson.

Raven Country: Despite an NFL MVP award and breaking numerous records, Lamar Jackson is still a polarizing figure? Do you think he will ever be able to shed the debate that he is a "running back" playing quarterback?

Reid: For me, the better way to frame the question is, “Will he ever be considered an above-average passer?” At times last season, he definitely showed improvement as a passer. I mean, is he ever gonna be as good as Mahomes or Watson in that category? Doubtful. But if he can continue to make strides in the drop-back game, with his speed and athleticism, he doesn’t have to be as good as those guys in that area to continue to be highly effective.

Raven Country: How do you think that Jackson has handled the criticism?

Reid: Coming out of college, he handled the initial criticism well. I mean, he won the AP MVP unanimously. Among quarterbacks, it’s just him and Brady on that list. With only one playoff victory, obviously, he hasn’t had a lot of playoff success to this point. But he’s only entering his fourth season as Baltimore’s Week 1 starter. I mean, it’s not like he’s had a decade of postseason failure.

Raven Country: How much, if any, have black quarterbacks evolved their game to be able to play the position in the NFL?

Reid: The “evolution” has occurred on the part of NFL club owners, executives and coaches. Black quarterbacks were always able to play the position in the NFL. White decision-makers merely needed to change their anachronistic views about the position, especially as it relates to race, to give Black quarterbacks an opening to excel in the NFL.

Raven Country: Do you see a level playing field as far as black quarterbacks getting an opportunity to play the position in the NFL in the coming years?

Reid: For the Black quarterback who’s a college superstar, the playing field is level, or as level as it can be. But Black quarterbacks are still making the climb to become NFL backups at the same rate as their white counterparts.