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Lamar Jackson Says Bias Against Black QBs In The NFL Is "Still There"

Source: Joe Sargent / Getty

According to Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, in a league where more than half of its players are Black, the bias against Black quarterbacks still exists, and winning is the only way to get past it.

Since his arrival into the NFL, the only thing Lamar Jackson has ever done was shut up his critics, who dared to question if he could be an NFL quarterback. Jackson, a Heisman Trophy Winner, regularly lights up the stat sheet in the air and on the ground and has even won the prestigious MVP Award, making him the ninth player to achieve both honors. Still, he feels he has more to prove, mainly because of the hue of his skin, not his skills.

Jackson touched on the subject in the latest episode of LeBron James’ exceptional talk show The Shop: Uninterrupted, which now lives on YouTube. Despite having one of the best collegiate careers ever at the position, NFL scouts still questioned if Jackson could play the position. Some even suggested he should play wide receiver. James pointed to it being a bias against Black quarterbacks, adding that it’s “dying off,” but Jackson quickly pointed out” “It’s still there. That’s why I need that championship.”

Jackson (14) currently represents roughly one-third of Black quarterbacks in the league that is among the highest-rated at the position. He joins Arizona Cardinals Kyler Murray (8), Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott (9), and Seattle Seahawks Russell Wilson (11). Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes, who is considered biracial, but Black folks still claim him comfortably sits third on that list and is regarded as one of the best slingers of the football in the league.

Following this upcoming pre-covid season, Jackson could become a free agent, with many believing he could fetch up to $40 million or more, making him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league.

Photo: Joe Sargent / Getty