Football legend Warren Moon on the significance of two Black QBs starting Super Bowl LVII

For the first time ever at an NFL Super Bowl championship game, both teams will field starting quarterbacks who are Black.

On Sunday, Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts will lead their teams for Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona.

If the Chiefs win, Mahomes would become the first Black quarterback to win the Super Bowl twice.

If the Eagles take the trophy, Hurts would be the fourth Black quarterback to win the Super Bowl, joining the ranks of Doug Williams, Mahomes and Russell Wilson before him.

The moment, coming during Black History in the U.S., is significant to former pro quarterback Warren Moon.

“It’s a proud moment for me, no question about it,” the NFL and CFL veteran told CTV’s Your Morning on Friday. “I know what African-American quarterbacks have gone through over the past maybe 60, 70 years.”

Moon said fielding Black players in the quarterback position has long been an issue in the sport, fuelled by questions about their intelligence, leadership skills and marketability.

“We really noticed a lot of the underlying facts were people did not want African-Americans being in that position of leadership,” he said. “Well, those barriers have been broken now and now we’re in the biggest game that’s in sports, which is a Super Bowl, and we have two young African-American men leading their organizations into this game.”

“This is very significant,” Moon said, suggesting that

African-American quarterbacks are “thriving” in the NFL now.

“They’re doing very well, as far as being up the pay scale. They’re at the top of the pay chain, they’re being drafted high, they’re being endorsed very well,” he said. “So there’s been a lot of severe and significant change being allowed.”

Ahead of the game, Mahomes won his second Most Valuable Player award. Hurts has never won the award. Mahomes is in his sixth year playing in the NFL, this is Hurts’ third season.

The Super Bowl pre-show kicks off Feb. 12 at 6 p.m., EST on CTV/TSN. The game starts at 6:30 p.m. EST.

To watch the full interview click the video at the top of this article.