As the Eagles lined up in victory formation to play the final snap of Super Bowl LIX, Kobe Sutton, a 24-year-old pharmacist from Collegeville, was filled with immense pride. Reflecting on the enormity of the moment, Kobe said that the first Super Bowl win had been for the city of Philadelphia, but Super Bowl LIX was for the players and for Black fans.
Taking a moment to think about it further, Kobe said “this franchise has always given Black men a voice in a way other teams haven’t, because the guy that leads the team has the loudest voice. More than any other team I can think of, the Eagles have given that voice to young Black men.”
The 2024-2025 Eagles were a historic team in many ways. The defense was among the staunchest in recent memory and the team pummeled their opponents, earning a point differential that surpasses any team in NFL postseason history. But for all the statistical analysis that points to how special the team was, there is one storyline that stands out above the rest, Jalen Hurts was the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl in Philadelphia.
That may not sound note-worthy. Afterall, four Black quarterbacks have won the Super Bowl: Doug Williams, Russell Wilson, Patrick Mahomes and now Hurts. But for a team with such a storied history of inclusion and representation at the quarterback position, the Super Bowl win is an acknowledgement of the franchises’ commitment to providing opportunities to young Black men.
The position of quarterback is often considered the most important in all of sports. They typically receive the most pay among NFL players, they have the most responsibility on the field and historically speaking, they have generally all looked the same: white. A study from 2023 by FootballPerspective.com showed the historical bias against starting Black quarterbacks.
Recently, however, the evolution of the position created an opportunity for Black quarterbacks to take over the league. One franchise stands out among the NFL’s 32 teams in providing opportunities for Black quarterbacks to succeed, the Philadelphia Eagles. The history regarding their lineage of black quarterbacks is extensive.
According to readjack.com, a site that tracks the complete history of Black NFL starting quarterbacks, the Philadelphia Eagles rank first in total games started by Black quarterbacks. The Eagles boast 415 such games. The next best franchise is the Tennessee Titans—combining with games from their days as the Houston Oilers—with 341 starts. The Eagles are first, and it is not particularly close.
Not only do the Eagles have the most starts by a Black quarterback, they also have the most postseason starts as well with 33 playoff games. The Chiefs are second with 21 playoff starts.
Brandon Ruess, a 28-year-old teacher from Philadelphia, has watched the Eagles for as long as he can remember. His dad purchased him a Donovan McNabb jersey in 2003 that now hangs proudly next to his TV during Eagles games. Growing up, he never noticed that the quarterback for his team often looked different than the others. But now that he understands just how special the Eagles’ lineage of Black quarterbacks is, Hurts winning a Super Bowl means so much more to him.
“I think I was too young to notice at first. But as I got older, it did stand out. There weren’t many Black quarterbacks that came across my screen, and I started to realize that the Eagles were one of the few teams that had a guy under center. Hurts winning a Super Bowl for us justifies the team continuously giving Black quarterbacks a chance.”
The Eagles’ lineage began with Randall Cunningham, affectionately known as “The Ultimate Weapon” in Philadelphia. Cunningham was drafted by the Eagles in 1985 and played for Philadelphia until 1996. During his time in Philadelphia, Cunningham won two Bert Bell Awards, was runner-up for the league’s MVP award twice and also earned Comeback Player of the Year in 1992.
The lineage continued with Rodney Peete, who played for the Eagles from 1995 to 1999.
In 1999, the Eagles drafted Donovan McNabb with the second overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft. During his time in Philadelphia, McNabb led the Eagles to just their second Super Bowl appearance, reached six Pro Bowls and was runner-up for MVP in 2000. McNabb played in Philadelphia from 1999 to 2010.
Continuing the legacy of black quarterbacks in the City of Brotherly Love was Michael Vick. After returning from suspension due to violation of the league’s personal conduct policy, Vick signed with the Eagles in 2009, playing in the city until 2014. During his time in Philadelphia, Vick reached the Pro Bowl once, was the runner-up for Offensive Player of the Year and won Comeback Player of the Year.
From 2014 to 2020, the line of succession broke. But in 2020, the Eagles selected Jalen Hurts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He eventually took the reins from Carson Wentz and has since been to the Super Bowl twice, won Super Bowl MVP in Super Bowl LIX, been runner-up for the MVP and received Pro Bowl honors twice. To many black Eagles fans, it is Hurts’ Super Bowl LIX win that is the crowning achievement for a team that has a propensity to uplift black quarterbacks.
Pierre Sajous, a 36-year-old Marine Biologist from Coatesville, is especially proud of the organizations’ commitment to providing opportunities to quarterbacks with whom he can identify.
“I love the Eagles. I was born an Eagles fan, so I have to love them. But the fact that they have consistently had a quarterback that looks like me makes me love them even more. Black quarterbacks are way more common now, but that wasn’t always the case. It’s the Eagles that have consistently given Black quarterbacks the opportunities that they deserve.”
Statistically speaking, it is far more common to see Black quarterbacks in the NFL now. Of the 32 teams, 20 of them started Black quarterbacks during the 2024-2025 season, and 16 have Black quarterbacks who consistently started. The list of consistent starters includes Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, CJ Stroud, Jayden Daniels, Jordan Love, Caleb Williams, Kyler Murray, Dak Prescott, Michael Penix Jr., Geno Smith, Tua Tagovailoa, Anthony Richardson, Bryce Young, Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston.
The list is long now, as NFL teams recognize that quarterbacks do not need to all look the same. But the Eagles were at the forefront of change and have a legacy of Black quarterback excellence. No other team has the same history of recognized personal and team success among their lineage of Black quarterbacks as the Philadelphia Eagles. Hurts, McNabb and Vick sat down with former ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III to talk about being a part of the storied history of Black quarterbacks in Philadelphia.
The importance of the line of succession he carries is not lost on Hurts. During Super Bowl LIX Media Week, Hurts was asked about his second time playing against Mahomes in the Super Bowl, the second time two Black quarterbacks met on the games’ biggest stage. Hurts said that he was “embracing that stage and knowing that torch [he carries].”
“Jalen knows it too, which makes it that much sweeter. It feels like he understands the role he’s been placed in and is honoring the history of Black quarterbacks in Philadelphia” says Kobe, considering the teams’ lineage.
Kobe added “the best part is that Jalen is just getting started. He won this one. He’s probably the best Black quarterback we’ve had already. But he’s got so much more time to do it again. The history of Black quarterbacks in Philadelphia isn’t finished yet.”
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