Why is it that every time a Black NFL quarterback attempts to get paid, an immediate backlash ensues?
It’s a rhetorical question of course. We all know the answer.
By now, NFL fans are conditioned to the fact that quarterbacks will always dominate salary allocations. In the majority of cases, rightfully so, regardless of the staggering price tag.
In 2020, Chiefs star QB Patrick Mahomes signed a record-setting ten-year, $450 million deal. That remains the largest contract (in terms of overall dollars) in the league.
Aaron Rodgers signed a three-year, $150 million contract with the Packers this past March. The first two years of $42 million and $59.515 million are guaranteed. That’s approximately $50 million per year, the largest (annual) contract in NFL history.
A few weeks later, Cleveland traded for Texans’ embattled star quarterback Deshaun Watson and gave him an astounding five-year, fully guaranteed, $230 million contract.
Setting Watson’s current personal situation aside, those contracts are completely justifiable based upon talent and athletic performance.
But over the last few weeks, a disturbing buzz began emanating from the NFL community regarding Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray, two extremely talented players with extremely similar characteristics.
The primary one being they’re both Black.
Lamar Jackson
The debate surrounding Jackson and his pending contract started much earlier.
Many questioned whether he was worth a big deal, particularly because of his style of play and the injuries he suffered.
His detractors also questioned his business strategy of not employing an agent, instead relying on himself and his mother to secure his financial future.
These critics seem to think that Lamar Jackson and Felicia Jones are unable to research, plan, understand or negotiate.
Oh, how wrong they are.
This mother and son have been planning his career since they first decided to put him on the football field in Florida.
Ranked by Rivals as a four-star recruit, Jackson became Louisville’s star QB. But he was shunned at the 2018 NFL Draft in favor of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen before former Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome traded back into the first round to select Jackson with the 32nd overall pick.
Up to that point, Jackson and Jones were the last ones left at their table in the green room, sitting alone and feeling the pain of not being selected.
That’s when you knew they devised their plan to make everyone pay.
First, Jones led the discussions for her son’s rookie contract, netting him a four-year, $9.5 million deal.
A year after being selected, Jackson excelled and won the NFL MVP.
He’s also a 2x Pro Bowler and made First-Team All-Pro.
During his four-year career, he’s thrown for 9,967 yards, 84 TDs and 31 INTs. He’s also rushed for 3,673 yards and 21 TDs.
With Jackson at the helm, the Ravens have gone 43-22 and made the playoffs in his first three seasons under center. If the team hadn’t been decimated by injuries last season, including to Jackson, they would have made it four straight playoff appearances.
Yet despite all of those accolades and how the team performs under his leadership, some still question his worth, his lack of a Super Bowl and his place among current NFL quarterbacks.
Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray has a similar set of skills and is actually more athletic than Jackson.
Murray was a two-sport star and drafted by both the Oakland A’s and Arizona Cardinals.
He chose football and made an immediate impact in the desert, delighting players and fans forced to endure a year of Josh Rosen under center.
In his three years with Arizona, Murray has thrown for 11,480 yards, 70 TDs and 34 INTs. He’s also rushed for 1,786 yards and 20 TDs, was the Offensive Rookie of the Year and is a 2x Pro Bowler.
With Murray under center, the team has improved every season as well, going from 5-10-1 and 8-8 to 11-6 and a playoff berth this past season. The team has committed to Murray and surrounded him with top talent like DeAndre Hopkins.
Yet despite the upward trajectory of both the team and Murray, some still question his place among current NFL quarterbacks and unfairly point to his poor post-season performance last season, which was his first playoff appearance.
But like Jackson, Murray knows his worth.
Open Season on Young, Black QBs (Again)
Regardless of their talents, team records and upward trajectory, many still question the worth of these bright, young quarterbacks.
And now that they seek to be financially rewarded for their success, critics have pounced.
Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray are two of the most talented players in the game today. Without them, their teams falter.
They’re dynamic and present threats that traditional quarterbacks don’t.
And that’s what football traditionalists can’t fathom.
They still clamor for the traditional tall, drop-back passers who don’t run RPO packages.
That is a dangerous and damaging desire that has historically damaged the careers of Black quarterbacks.
They can’t win a Super Bowl. They lack intelligence. They scored poorly on the Wonderlic test. They haven’t played well in the playoffs.
Aaron Rodgers makes $50 million annually and continues to falter in the postseason, but traditionalists grant him a pass and place blame elsewhere.
These critics are the same people who will be fine with Justin Herbert receiving a massive contract when his turn comes. Herbert will deserve it too.
Yet Herbert hasn’t made the playoffs yet. Murray and Jackson have.
And despite offseason rumors and accusations, they’re both at training camp.
Murray has a new five-year, $230.5 million deal that includes $160 million guaranteed. That makes him the second-highest-paid QB with an average of $46.1 million per year.
Murray’s contract (potentially) improved the financial outlook for Jackson, so you know he and his mother are plotting now.
But that won’t stop the dissenters or disrespect.
On Monday we all learned about an “Independent Study” clause in Murray’s contract, which means that Murray must study the material given to him by the team for an upcoming game. Time spent in mandatory meetings does not count toward the independent study time and breaching this could void the contract.
Has anyone ever heard of this clause before? Neither have we.
As for Jackson, the disparagement has resurfaced, which Reeta Hubbard of 105.7 the Fan in Baltimore properly addressed.
During this slow time in sports media, Lamar Jackson is easy fodder for those wanting to fan the click-bait flames.
It’s far from unexpected, but still ridiculous.
Out of the five quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, only two still remain with their original teams- Josh Allen of the Bills and Lamar Jackson of the Ravens.
In 2021, Allen signed a six-year, $258 million deal with the Bills, of which $150 million is guaranteed.
Jackson won an NFL MVP. Allen has not.
Neither has been to a Super Bowl yet.
But since Rodgers, Watson, Murray, Mahomes and Allen got paid, Jackson should too.
