*On this date in 2023, Super Bowl LVII marked the first time both teams started Black quarterbacks.
Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles played against Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs. In 1988, Washington's Doug Williams became the first Black quarterback to start — and win — a Super Bowl. Williams was the MVP of the game after throwing for 340 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-10 win over the Denver Broncos. A decade later, Steve McNair led the Tennessee Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV, losing to the St. Louis Rams. Five years later, Donovan McNabb and the Eagles lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX.
Colin Kaepernick started Super Bowl XLVII for the San Francisco 49ers in 2013 before falling to the Baltimore Ravens 34-31. The following season, Russell Wilson led the Seattle Seahawks to a win over the Denver Broncos. In doing so, Wilson became the second Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl. Wilson brought Seattle back to a Super Bowl in 2015 but lost to the New England Patriots.
The following year, Cam Newton took the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl and lost to the Broncos. In 2020, Mahomes became the third Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl, leading the Chiefs to a victory over the 49ers. Mahomes took the team back to the Super Bowl in 2021 but fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Either Hurts will become the fourth Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl, or Mahomes will become the first Black starting quarterback to win multiple Super Bowls when the dust settles at Super Bowl LVII in Arizona. Kansas City won the game 38 to 35.
