Fourteen black quarterbacks will start for their teams in Week 1 of the NFL season, per a report by Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. The number breaks the previous record of 11 black quarterbacks that started in Week 1 of the 2022 season and the third time in four years that the record has been set.
The record marks a huge moment in the sport, as black quarterbacks were often never given the opportunity to play the position. Now, we've seen record-breaking feats featuring black quarterbacks such as Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts being the first two black quarterbacks to start against each other in a Super Bowl earlier this year. The Ravens also boast an all-black quarterback room, the first of its kind documented in NFL history. The 2023 NFL Draft also made history as it was the first time that three black quarterbacks were drafted with the first three picks.
The list of black quarterbacks starting in Week 1 is below:
Name | Team | Week 1 Matchup |
Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City Chiefs | vs. Detroit Lions (Lions win 21-20) |
Jalen Hurts | Philidelphia Eagles | vs. New England Patriots |
Lamar Jackson | Baltimore Ravens | vs. Houston Texans |
Dak Prescot | Dallas Cowboys | vs. New York Giants |
Deshawn Watson | Cleveland Browns | vs. Cincinnati Bengals |
Russell Wilson | Denver Broncos | vs. Las Vegas Raiders |
Geno Smith | Seattle Seahawks | vs. Los Angeles Rams |
Desmond Ridder | Atlanta Falcons | vs. Carolina Panthers |
Joshua Dobbs | Arizona Cardinals | vs. Washington Commanders |
Justin Fields | Chicago Bears | vs. Green Bay Packers |
Jordan Love | Green Bay Packers | vs. Chicago Bears |
Bryce Young | Carolina Panthers | vs. Atlanta Falcons |
CJ Stroud | Houston Texans | vs. Baltimore Ravens |
Anthony Richardson | Indianapolis Colts | vs. Jacksonville Jaguars |