Super Bowl XXII MVP Doug Williams celebrates following the Redskins 42010 victory 1/31 in San Diego.
Doug Williams was deeply touched when he learned there would be two Black starting quarterbacks in the Super Bowl for the first time.
Williams, the first African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl, told TMZ Sports he cried when Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs and Jalen Hurts of the Eagles — both of whom are African-American — advanced to the Super Bowl on Feb. 12.
“I had tears of joy in my eye because I had an opportunity to witness this,” Williams, who was the MVP of Super Bowl XXII when the Washington Redskins beat the Denver Broncos in 1988.
“Sit there, and just look at it, and say to myself, 'Man, we got two Black quarterbacks playing in the Super Bowl.’”
Williams said he had similar feelings when Barack Obama won the Presidency in 2008, and also when Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith coached against each other in Super Bowl XLI featuring the Colts and Bears.
“Things like that,” Williams said, “give me joy. Give me chills.”
After Williams won, Russell Wilson and Mahomes are the only two Black quarterbacks to follow suit.
“To be on the world stage and have two Black quarterbacks starting in the Super Bowl, I think it's special," Mahomes, who is seeking his second Super Bowl title, said in a team press conference on Thursday.
“I've learned more and more about the history of the Black quarterback since I've been in this league and the guys that came before me and Jalen set the stage for this. And now, I'm just glad that we can set the stage for kids that are coming up now.”
Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts speaks during a news conference at the NFL football team's training ... [+]
Hurts also appreciates the significance of the moment.
“I think it’s history. I think it’s something that’s worthy of being noted,” Hurts told reporters of his matchup with Mahomes, adding that he tried to follow in the footsteps of other Black quarterbacks who played for the Eagles, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick and Randall Cunningham.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes talks to the media before an NFL football workout ... [+]
Mahomes also pointed to the legacy of those signal-callers.
“I think you've seen over time, whenever a guy like Doug Williams, or Michael Vick, or Donovan McNabb go out and play great football, it gives other guys like me and Jalen chances to have this platform and to have this spot on an NFL team,” he said.
“So, if we can continue to show that we can consistently be great, I think it'll just continue to open doors for other kids growing up to follow their dreams and to be a quarterback of an NFL team. And it's good that we have guys like Jalen on the other side because he’s a great person and obviously a great quarterback.”
