Analysis: Mahomes, Hurts ready for historic Super Bowl matchup

PHILADELPHIA — Black quarterbacks have come a long way in the NFL since Fritz Pollard played first in the league in 1923 and Doug Williams started first after the 1987 season and won a Super Bowl.

Now Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts will become the first black QBs to face off in a Super Bowl.

It’s fitting that a season that started with 11 Black QBs from Week 1 ends on a historic matchup.

Mahomes can become the first two-time winner if he leads the Kansas City Chiefs to victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on February 12. Hurts aims to become the fourth black QB to win the Super Bowl, along with Williams, Mahomes and Russell Wilson.

Steve McNair, Colin Kaepernick, Cam Newton and Wilson also started and lost in the Super Bowl.

Michael Vick was the first Black QB to be picked #1 overall in the 2001 draft. McNair was the first Black QB to become MVP in 2003. Mahomes and Lamar Jackson won it two years in a row.

They all had to overcome stereotypes to get to this point.

Jackson said a Los Angeles Chargers scout asked him to run routes at the NFL combine in 2018. The Baltimore Ravens eventually picked him with the 32nd pick in the first round, and he was MVP in his sophomore season.

Donovan McNabb, a six-time Pro Bowl QB who started five NFC championship games for the Eagles, was told by some college scouts that he needed to play running back or wide receiver. He didn’t change positions, went to Syracuse to play quarterback, and was drafted No. 2 overall by Philadelphia in 1999.

Hurts began his NFL career in 2020 as an all-purpose QB after the Eagles picked him up in the second round. Playing behind Carson Wentz, Hurts had 12 rushing attempts, one catch and threw just three passes in his first nine games before taking over Philadelphia’s QB.

He obviously hasn’t forgotten that the decision to draft him into the second round of the 2020 draft drew a lot of criticism from reporters and fans.

“My first year here, (people) probably didn’t even want to move me in here,” Hurts said Sunday. “It was probably one of those things. But it always sorts itself out.”

Neither Hurts nor Mahomes celebrated their Conference Championship wins too much. The main goal stays ahead. Everyone wants another win.

Hurts puffed on a victory cigar after the Eagles routed the San Francisco 49ers 31-7, but as usual showed little emotion in his post-game press conference.

“I don’t really know how to feel to be honest. You are working really hard to put yourself in this position and I am forever grateful to you,” Hurts said. “Only God knows the things that each individual on this team was able to overcome so that we can come together as a team and achieve something special as a group. That means the most. I always want to go out there and do my best no matter what because I don’t want to let down the guy next to me. It makes us all tougher.”

Hurts, along with Mahomes a finalist for AP NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, missed two games late in the season with a shoulder injury. The Eagles didn’t have to lean on him in two one-sided playoff wins. He has just 275 yards passing and two TDs along with 73 yards rushing and two scores.

“I know I’ve been through a lot personally, but I don’t want to deviate from the direction of how good this team has been at playing together, being together and challenging each other,” Hurts said. “When we go through some painful and difficult times, we always find a way to get through them. They want to get into that kind of situation and we have a chance to go out there and win it all, so let’s prepare for that.”

Mahomes struggled through an ankle injury to help the Chiefs beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 to advance to their third Super Bowl appearance in four years.

He had no intention of lighting a victory cigar after a hard-fought victory.

“I don’t think we have cigars, but we’ll be ready to go to the Super Bowl,” Mahomes said, poking fun at Joe Burrow’s penchant for pulling them after big wins.

Only a QB can win the Super Bowl. Whether it’s Hurts or Mahomes, it’s another win for the Black QBs who have been overlooked over the years.