Born in Zachary, La., Doug Williams made history in two monumental ways on one night. Not only was he the first African American starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl, but also the first African American football player to win the Super Bowl MVP.
It was January 31, 1988 when Williams broke barriers and set records, leading the Washington Redskins to victory by defeating the Denver Broncos 42-10 in Super Bowl XXII. He passed for four touchdowns in a single quarter, with a total of 340 yards.
Drafted out of Grambling State University, a Historically Black University (HBCU), Williams was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the 17th overall pick in the 1978 NFL Draft. Williams carried the Bucs to three playoff appearances, one being the NFC Championship game.
At the time, Williams was the only starting African American quarterback, and was also the most underpaid for his position—he was paid $120,000 a year. He finally had enough and requested a pay raise to $600,000, but the Bucs owner wouldn’t budge.
Williams left the NFL and signed with the USFL’s Oklahoma/Arizona Outlaws for two seasons. But the league folded in 1986 and Williams returned to the NFL.
The Washington Redskins picked Williams up in 1986 where he was originally a backup quarterback. When starting quarterback Jay Schroeder got injured, Williams stepped in.
Though he did not start the entire season with the Redskins, he started in the most important game of the year, was victorious, and will forever be remembered for his historical performance.
Although Williams retired after the 1989 season, he still contributed to the game through coaching, administration, and charitable work. His only two head coaching jobs were at HBCUs: Morehouse College and Grambling State University.
Doug Williams is without a doubt a sports icon in Black history.
(Image Courtesy of ESPN.com)
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