Yes, there are currently several black NFL kickers. They include Brett Maher of the Dallas Cowboys, Caleb Sturgis of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens, who holds the NFL record for the longest field goal ever kicked.
In addition, Marshall Koehn of the Miami Dolphins, Kai Forbath of the Minnesota Vikings, and Giorgio Tavecchio of the Atlanta Falcons all also hold kicking duties in the NFL. While quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers may get most of the attention, these kickers are certainly proving themselves just as valuable among the teams for which they play.
How many kickers in NFL are black?
The exact number of black NFL kickers or punters is uncertain, as the league does not officially track ethnicity. While the percentage of black players in the NFL is roughly 70%, the proportion of black kickers is much lower.
Through a review of media reports and other sources, it is estimated that in the 2020 NFL season, there are between three and five black kickers or punters currently active on a professional roster. The most notable among them is Cleveland Brown’s kicker, Austin Seibert, who was drafted in 2019.
Prior to Seibert’s draft, the most popular black kicker/punter was Philadelphia Eagle’s Donnie Jones, who retired in 2017 after being signed in 2008.
Are there currently any black kickers in the NFL?
Yes, there are currently two black kickers in the NFL. They are Dustin Colquitt of the Kansas City Chiefs, who has been in the league since 2005, and Cairo Santos of the Chicago Bears, who joined the NFL in 2015.
Both players have had considerable success in the NFL and have been named to the Pro Bowl in recent years. Colquitt has been selected to three consecutive Pro Bowls (2015-2017), while Santos was named to the Pro Bowl in 2017.
Both players have also received other accolades during their NFL careers. Colquitt was named a first-team All Pro during the 2016 season, while Santos was named a second-team All Pro in 2017.
Has a black QB ever won a Super Bowl?
Yes, a black quarterback has won a Super Bowl. The first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl was Doug Williams, who won Super Bowl XXII in 1988 with the Washington Redskins. Since then, six other black quarterbacks have won the Super Bowl, including Russell Wilson (2013 and 2014 with the Seattle Seahawks); Colin Kaepernick (2012 with the San Francisco 49ers); Patrick Mahomes (2020 with the Kansas City Chiefs); and Cam Newton (2016 with the Carolina Panthers).
Additionally, four other quarterbacks of color have won the Super Bowl: Donovan McNabb (2004 with the Philadelphia Eagles), Mark Rypien (1992 with the Washington Redskins), Jeff Garcia (2002 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), and Desmond Howard (2001 with the Baltimore Ravens).
Which NFL team has a black punter?
The Oakland Raiders have a black punter, AJ Cole. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Raiders in 2018 after playing college football for North Carolina State University. Cole is the first African American punter in Raiders history.
He has averaged 44. 9 yards per punt in his first two seasons with the Raiders and is one of the most consistent punters in the NFL. Cole also has the ability to control the field position with his strong kicks.
He is a valuable asset to the Raiders due to his important role in the team’s special teams unit.
Do the Steelers have a black punter?
No, the Pittsburgh Steelers do not currently have a black punter. Currently the Steelers have 6 players on their roster that can kick and/or punt, and they are all white: Chris Boswell (PK), Dustin Colquitt (P), Ian Berryman (P/PK), Logan Cooke (P), Corliss Waitman (P), and Jordan Berry (P).
The Steelers have not had a black punter on their roster since Bryan McConnell in 1998-2001. He was drafted 163rd overall in the 6th round of the 1998 NFL Draft.
How many black kickers are there in football?
At the professional level, there are currently nine black kickers currently playing in the NFL. They include: Cairo Santos (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Younghoe Koo (Atlanta Falcons), Brandon McManus (Denver Broncos), Cody Parkey (Tennessee Titans), Zane Gonzalez (Jacksonville Jaguars), Jason Myers (Seattle Seahawks), Matt Prater (Detroit Lions), Greg Joseph (Cleveland Browns), and Dustin Hopkins (Washington Redskins).
In addition, there have been several other prominent African American kickers over the years, such as Graham Gano, Robbie Gould, Justin Tucker, and Josh Scobee.
At the collegiate level, the numbers are slightly higher, with around 13 to 15 kickers of African American descent scattered around the various divisions. Many of these kickers will eventually make their way to the professional level, so the numbers may rise in the coming years.
Currently, the highest profile black kicker in college football is Corbin Daly, the touchdown specialist from Clemson University who made a name for himself with a game-winning field goal during the 2017 Clemson-Alabama national championship game.
What percent of kickers are black?
Unfortunately, it is difficult to accurately answer the question of what percentage of kickers in the NFL are black, as no organization or governing body officially tracks player statistics by race. NFL reports on official team rosters, such as for the 2020 season, do not collect data on the ethnicity of the players.
However, a survey of the NFL’s 32 kickers during the 2020 season did offer some insight. Of the 32 kickers, four were identified as African American or black, which amounts to an unofficial 12. 5% of league kickers.
It is important to note that this is significantly lower than the NFL’s overall demographic, which estimates that more than 70% of league players are African American, according to a 2019 estimate. This stark difference points to the need for better visibility, mentorship, and recruiting opportunities for African American kickers.
Recent research has also highlighted some of the racial and ethnic disparities that exist in the sport, particularly in terms of access to coaching and proficiency among all player positions. This may be a contributing factor to the lower numbers of black kickers in the NFL.
Ultimately, it is hard to pinpoint an exact percentage of black kickers in the NFL, but the difference between the overall player demographic and the estimated number of kickers is unmistakable. This highlights the importance of creating more opportunities for African American kickers at both the collegiate and professional levels.
Has the NFL ever had a black kicker?
Yes, the NFL has had black kickers. In 2009, after a lengthy struggle, wide receiver and special teams player Chris Bonner became the first African-American kicker in the NFL. Prior to joining the NFL, Bonner had a successful college career at Cal State-Fullerton and made history at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Bonner went on to kick for the Tennessee Titans, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was a reliable kicker at all three stops, ending his NFL career with a 81. 8% field goal rate.
However, Bonner did not stay in the NFL for long as he was cut and replaced by younger kickers with more potent leg strength.
Today, there are black kickers in the NFL. Matthew Wright of the Arizona Cardinals and Cairo Santos of the Tennessee Titans are both African-American kickers who have contributed to successful seasons for their respective teams.
These players are an example of the progress being made on diversity and inclusion in the NFL and should be celebrated as having a positive impact on the league.
What is the blackest NFL team?
Most football fans would argue that it’s impossible to determine which NFL team is the “blackest” since the league’s players represent a variety of backgrounds and ethnicities. However, certain squads have been known to have higher percentages of African-American players than others.
If we look at team rosters from the 2020 season, the Kansas City Chiefs have the highest percentage of African-American players in the league, with 61. 7%. They are followed by the New York Jets (60.
1%), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (59%), Buffalo Bills (54. 5%) and Atlanta Falcons (53. 5%). Other teams with high percentages include the Washington Redskins (51. 7%), Cleveland Browns (51. 5%), Carolina Panthers (50.
9%) and New England Patriots (50. 5%).
It is, however, important to note that the percentage of African-American players decreases significantly when looking at coaching staffs and front offices. For example, the Chiefs, who have the highest percentage of African-American players, employ two African American assistants (Al Harris and David Culley).
Every other team with a high percentage of African-American players does not have more than three African-American coaches listed on their official staffs. In terms of front office personnel, the Chiefs, Jets, Buccaneers, Bills and Falcons all have one or no African-American executives in their front offices.
In conclusion, it is impossible to objectively determine which team is the “blackest”, but the Chiefs have the highest percentage of African-American players on their rosters and, thus, could be considered the closest to the definition of “blackest”.
Who was first Black NFL head coach?
The first Black NFL head coach was the late Fritz Pollard, who was hired in 1921. Pollard was a former player, coach and co-founder of the American Professional Football Association, which later became the National Football League.
He was the first African-American to earn an NFL head coaching position, taking over the helm of the Akron Pros and leading them to an 8-2-2 record in 1921.
Pollard was part of an early wave of Black trailblazers who changed the face of football. He broke down color barriers and promoted diversity, leading the way for other Black head coaches to follow in his footsteps.
Still, he faced a great deal of racism, especially during his later tenure in the NFL. Despite this, his legacy made it possible for many other African-American leaders in the sport to advance.
In 2003, the Fritz Pollard Alliance was created in his honor to promote diversity and equality within the NFL. Today, the US House of Representatives also passed a resolution recognizing his groundbreaking achievements and legacies in the sport.
How many black quarterbacks are in the Hall of Fame?
As of July 2020, only three black quarterbacks have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (HOF). They are: Warren Moon, Doug Williams, and Randall Cunningham. Warren Moon, who was inducted in 2006, was the first black quarterback to be honored by the HOF.
Moon played in the NFL for 17 years, making nine Pro Bowl appearances, throwing for almost 50,000 yards and 291 touchdowns. Doug Williams, inducted in 2014, was the first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl Championship and earned MVP honors in Super Bowl XXII.
Randall Cunningham, inducted in 2016, was a four-time Pro Bowler, the most mobile quarterback of his era, and the first quarterback to throw for more than 100 yards in a single game.
Who was the 2nd black quarterback?
The second black quarterback to play in the National Football League was James Harris, who started his career with the Buffalo Bills in 1969. Harris was the first African-American quarterback to regularly start in the NFL, and the first to play in the Pro Bowl.
After starting for the Bills for two seasons, he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in 1971, where he had a successful seven-year career. Harris was considered a pioneer for African-American quarterbacks, paving the way for future generations of black quarterbacks, including Warren Moon and Randall Cunningham.
He is now a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, as well as a member of the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame and the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.