NFL Super Bowl: Kansas City vs Philadelphia, a final that hides a historic claim for the black race

The 57th edition of the super bowlwhich will be played on Sunday 12 February, already has a guaranteed place in the great history of nfl. Because it will be the first edition of the traditional American football championship final that will see two African-American quarterbacks face each other: Jalen hurtsFrom Philadelphia EaglesAND patrick mahomesFrom Kansas City Chiefs.

Mahomes, champion three years ago with Kansas, will become the first quarterback of those origins with two titles if he leads the Chiefs to victory in the game that will be played this week at State Farm Stadium from Arizona.

Hurts wants to be the fourth to win the Super Bowl, by joining doug williams (in XXII, with the Washington Redskins, after the 1987 season), Russell Wilson (the XLVIII, with the Seattle Seahawks, after 2013) and Mahomes himself.

Regardless of who ends up lifting the trophy, it will be another win for the black quarterbacks who have been looked down upon for so long and have come a long way in the NFL since Fritz Pollard he became the first to compete in the championship in 1923.

It has been nearly 80 years since Pollard’s raid until Michael Vic became the first black quarterback selected number one in the draft in 2001, per atlanta falcons.

Steve McNair he was the first to receive the award Most Valuable Player in 2003, when he stayed close to the Super Bowl with the Tennessee Titans. he shared the honor with Peyton Manning. Mahomes got in 2018 and Lamar Jacksonof the Baltimore Ravens in 2019.

McNair was also one of four African-American quarterbacks who played in the Super Bowl but lost it, along with Wilson. Colin Kaepernick AND cam newton.

Everyone has snubbed stereotypes to achieve success.

Jackson once said that a talent scout from Los Angeles Charger He asked him to try one more position at the NFL Combine in 2018. The Ravens opted to draft him 32nd overall and he won MVP in his sophomore season.

Donovan McNabb, a six-time Pro Bowl quarterback who has started five NFC Finals for the Eagles, said some college scouts recommended he play as both a running back and wide receiver. Lui persisted in his position, enrolling at Syracuse to play quarterback and was drafted by Philadelphia with the #2 pick in 1999.

Julen hurtsThe 24-year-old made his NFL debut in 2020 as a versatile quarterback after being drafted by the Eagles in the second round of the draft. In place of Carson Wenzhe had few opportunities before taking over as the team’s quarterback.

He has never forgotten that the decision to select him in the second round of the 2020 Draft was strongly criticized by the press and fans.

“My freshman year, people maybe didn’t even want me here,” he recalled after the 31-7 win San Francisco 49ers at the end of National Conference.

Kansasmeanwhile, he struggled to win by 22 to 23 a cincinnati bengal In the American conference.

Neither Hurts nor Mahomes celebrated the victories that deposited their respective teams in the most important game of the championship. The main focus is pending. And they both want another win.

“I really don’t know how to react to be honest. You have worked very hard to find yourself in this position and I will be forever grateful,” said Hurts. “Only God knows the things that every person in this team had to overcome to come together and do something special as a group. It’s the most important thing. I always try to go out and do my best no matter what. I don’t want to let the team down .” who is by my side. This forces us all to try harder.”

Hurts, a finalist with Mahomes for the AP MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards, missed two games late in the season with a shoulder injury. The Eagles didn’t have to lean on his arm as they picked up two comfortable playoff victories. He has just 275 passing yards and two passing touchdowns, while amassing 73 rushing yards and two scores.

Despite an ankle injury, Mahomes buoyed the Chiefs to see the Bengals battle to reach their third Super Bowl in four years.

“I want to thank God. He healed my body this week,” said Mahomes, who finished with 326 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. “Our defense gave us one more chance and I knew I was going to get it somehow. We’ll be ready for the Super Bowl.”

Only a quarterback can win the title. Whether it’s Hurts or Mahomes, this Super Bowl LVII will mark a milestone in the long and hard-fought history of African-American quarterbacks in the NFL.

The first SB with a duel of brothers

The Super Bowl that will decree the champion of the 2022 season will also be the first in history that will see two brothers on the field, with different jerseys, Jason AND travis kelcetwo great stars of the teams that will compete for the trophy Vincenzo Lombardi.

Jason, 35, is downtown Philadelphia. He arrived in the NFL in 2011, when the Eagles selected him sixth in the draft, and was always part of the starting team. He was Super Bowl LII champion, which closed the 2017 season. He was also picked 5 times for the All Pro Team and 6 times for the Pro Bowls.

Travis, 33 e narrow end of Kansas, was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2013 Draft. He made eight Pro Bowl appearances and four All Pro team appearances. of 2019.

There’s a history of brotherly duels in the Super Bowl, but it happened on the bench. Is that in the XLVII edition, the ravens trained by John Harbaugh they beat the 49ers 34 to 31, whose coach was his brother Jim.