Jack M Silverstein Profile picture
Sep 18, 2020 44 tweets 38 min read Read on X
It's been a question on my mind for a few years now: Where do the Bears rank among NFL franchises in terms of Black starting quarterbacks?

I've spent about a year crunching the numbers. Here are my findings.

A thread.

readjack.wordpress.com/2020/09/17/the…
Starting in 2017, when the Bears chose Mitch Trubisky, Mike Glennon and Mark Sanchez over either Pat Mahomes or Deshaun Watson plus Colin Kaepernick, I started looking at our franchise's history with Black QBs.

The question of why the Bears seem to consistently make the wrong choice at quarterback has been alive since at least the 1940s, when Papa Bear brought in two brilliant QBs as heirs to Sid Luckman's throne, and managed to lose both of them within 4 years.

But whether our history with Black quarterbacks was a problem unto itself is a matter of debate among Bears fans. We've had four starters in our 101 seasons: Vince Evans, Henry Burris, Kordell Stewart, Jason Campbell.

I wanted to see what the total numbers said, leaguewide. ImageImageImageImage
My methodology is explained in the story, but I'll note here that this piece would have been impossible without:

🏈 @greghoward88's two-part feature at Deadspin, "The Big Book of Black Quarterbacks"
🏈 The ongoing, exemplary work from @TheUndefeated
🏈 @pfref
🏈 @_newspapers
The article includes short, detailed histories about each franchise's Black quarterbacks, as well as the executives and coaches who brought the players to the team.

And I look into the story of Willie Thrower, and his one game with the Bears in 1953.

readjack.wordpress.com/2020/09/17/the… ImageImageImage
Here are the numbers, with teams ranked in order of most games started by Black QBs, regular season and playoffs combined.

The list begins in 1953, for reasons explained therein.

readjack.wordpress.com/2020/09/17/the…
1. Philadelphia Eagles – 340 games

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#BlackQuarterbacks ImageImageImage
2. Tennessee Titans / Houston Oilers – 336 games

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#BlackQuarterbacks ImageImageImage
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 237 games

readjack.wordpress.com/2020/09/17/the…

#BlackQuarterbacks ImageImageImage
7. Washington Football Team — 142 games

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#BlackQuarterbacks ImageImageImage
8. Jacksonville Jaguars — 127 games

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#BlackQuarterbacks ImageImageImage
I'm going to pause here to encourage everyone to read @greghoward88's 2014 two-part feature:

11. Pittsburgh Steelers — 107 games

readjack.wordpress.com/2020/09/17/the…

#BlackQuarterbacks ImageImageImage
12. New Orleans Saints — 101 games

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#BlackQuarterbacks ImageImage
14. Cincinnati Bengals — 83 games

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#BlackQuarterbacks ImageImage
18. San Francisco 49ers — 70 games

readjack.wordpress.com/2020/09/17/the…

#BlackQuarterbacks ImageImage
I'm going to pause here to encourage you to read everything on Black QBs by @TheUndefeated. That staff is leading this research. It's incredible work.

theundefeated.com/features/the-r…
Also, a big thank you to @loumoore12 for his work, talks, and making me aware of the Geno Smith - Giants history.

24. Kansas City Chiefs — 37 games

readjack.wordpress.com/2020/09/17/the…

#BlackQuarterbacks ImageImage
25. Indianapolis Colts — 34 games

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#BlackQuarterbacks ImageImageImage
28. Los Angeles Chargers — 11 games

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#BlackQuarterbacks ImageImage
31. New England Patriots — 2 games

readjack.wordpress.com/2020/09/17/the…

#BlackQuarterbacks ImageImage
My year of research on Black starting quarterbacks in the NFL is complete.

I learned a lot. I hope you do too.

#BlackQuarterbacks #NFL

readjack.wordpress.com/2020/09/17/the…
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misidentified Jordan Love as white. I regret this error. Thank you @jtwashin.

I have updated the article; this marks the first time that the Packers have drafted a Black QB in the 1st round.

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More from @readjack

Feb 20, 2023
I don’t want to sound old but they really did used to play defense in the All-Star Game. 4th quarter is amazing now but we haven’t recovered from 192-182 in 2017.
Incidentally, 2017 was the first All-Star Game after Kobe retired. He kept the competition level high, no Elam Ending required.
The TNT crew is complicit. Stop cheering on this non-competition.
Read 20 tweets
Feb 19, 2023
The last time the #NBAAllStar Game was in Utah, the three-time defending 3-point shootout champion was nearly left out of the competition. He eventually competed despite not being on a roster.

This is the story of how in 1993, Craig Hodges became a man without a team.

A thread.
The NBA began its All-Star three-point contest (the “Long Distance Shootout”) in 1986. And six of the first seven contests split between two three-peat winners: Larry Bird and Craig Hodges.
Coming into the 1993 contest, Hodges had won the past three shootouts, including finals knockouts of Reggie Miller in 1990 and Terry Porter in 1991. His ‘91 performance is perhaps the greatest in the contest’s history, setting records that stand today: 21 shots made, 19 in a row.
Read 32 tweets
Oct 13, 2022
Got your Bears - Washington @NFLonPrime drinking game here, Bears fans! Get lit and get a W.

🍺 🥃 🍾

@WCGridiron @bearsoverbeers @79thAndHalas @itsthebigs @TheJeffSchlegel
Pay Roquan ✅
Rivera “quarterback” quote ✅
Al Michaels: “The Bears are wearing orange helmets for the first time in their history.” ✖️✖️✖️

@WCGridiron
Read 13 tweets
Sep 20, 2022
My full thoughts on the modern-era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2023 are to come, but one immediate reaction is that two players whose cases deserve discussion just lost their modern-era eligibility:

* Greg Lloyd
* Reggie Roby

profootballhof.me/Nominees

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Given that anyone can nominate players for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and that there are few automatic triggers to ensure that a player is on the list of nominees, there has to be a way to ensure that worthy candidates aren't left off, especially in their final five years.
Greg Lloyd was a 3x first-team All Pro and key defender on the '95 Steelers team that went to the Super Bowl. Injuries derailed him.

Reggie Roby was a 3x All Pro, 2x 1st team, who had one of the prettiest kicks I've ever seen. He should have been in this discussion.
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Read 40 tweets
Mar 18, 2022
When opinion writers want to write about so-called "cancel culture," and claim that Americans are being "shamed or shunned" for "free speech," editors should demand that they address these five questions.

A thread.
1. Provide the specific example of the "canceled," or would-be "canceled," speech — what the person said or wrote, word for word — and share where you, the opinion writer, stand on the substance of the statement.
2. If you claim that "people are trying to get x-person canceled," provide the specifics of:

* what people
* what power they hold over x-person
* how they are using their power
* how x-person would be affected
Read 10 tweets
Dec 12, 2021
On Oct. 25, 1992, we beat the Packers to extend our all-time rivalry lead to a record 24 games.

Since then, we are 14-45 vs. the Packers. We now trail the series by 7 games.

Here are our 14 wins — 14 in 29 seasons. I hope George and Ted see this.

A thread.
Now you may be thinking, “Jack, with all due respect, WTF?”

Well, our now three-decade-long failure against our biggest rival distresses me to the core of my being. I’m not alone. We all feel that way, except perhaps the very people who can change it.

As a prologue, here is the win that gave us a record 24-game lead.

* 1992, Week 8, Lambeau Field
* Winning streak: 🐻 +4
* Rivalry record: 🐻 +23
* Bears coach: Mike Ditka
* Bears QB: Jim Harbaugh
* Bears heroes: McMichael, Gardocki/Green
* Bears 30, Packers 10
Read 24 tweets

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