Former ESPN host Bomani Jones says NFL teams will intentionally choose a black backup quarterback if their starter is also black.
He referred to the practice as selecting a “blackup” quarterback.
Jones suggests team owners don’t want to deal with the racial tension that would be involved if a black starter had to be replaced by a white quarterback.
The NFL commentator accused the Cleveland Browns of engaging in such practice. The Browns passed up an opportunity to sign Comeback Player of the Year Joe Flacco to backup Deshaun Watson, instead opting for Jameis Winston.
Bomani Jones Says Jameis Winston Is A ‘Blackup’
“The Browns continued what they’ve been doing, which is signing every black backup quarterback they can find,” Jones believes.
“The new ‘blackup’ is Jameis Winston because you gotta put him behind Deshaun Watson’s nasty a** to stop the fans from asking for something else. They couldn’t bring Joe Flacco back behind him because he will wind up being some form of mutiny.”
Bomani Jones suggested the New England Patriots made a similar move by bringing back former third-round draft pick Jacoby Brissett, a sign he believes the team will select Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels with the 3rd pick in the 2024 draft.
“You will notice the New England Patriots. I’m surprised they did this. They went and signed Jacoby Brissett. That’s letting you know Jayden Daniels is coming to town,” Jones said. “If I were Jerod Mayo, I probably would have tried to space this out a little bit.
“I don’t know what white man is going to take responsibility for this, but they’re asking for Boston to get behind the first black quarterback that they’ve ever wanted to have.”
Is He Right?
Let’s go ahead and put Bomani Jones’ ‘blackup’ theory to the test. In 2023, on week 1, there were 14 black starting quarterbacks.
Here they are with their listed backups currently (and their race) or an update to their situation.
- Patrick Mahomes – Chris Oladokun (black)
- Jalen Hurts – Kenny Pickett (white)
- Lamar Jackson – Josh Johnson (black)
- Dak Prescott – Cooper Rush (white)
- Deshaun Watson – Jameis Winston (black)
- Russell Wilson – Justin Fields (black)
- Geno Smith – Sam Howell (white)
- Kyler Murray – Desmond Ridder (black)
- Joshua Dobbs (free agent)
- Justin Fields (see Russell Wilson above)
- Jordan Love – Sean Clifford (white)
- Bryce Young – Andy Dalton (extraordinarily white)
- C.J. Stroud – Davis Mills (white)
- Anthony Richardson – Joe Flacco (white)
It’s an even mix, it seems. In fact, there are more white backups to black quarterbacks than there are ‘blackups’.
Bomani Jones’ attempt to interject race on the matter seems a bit far-fetched and nonsensical. What do you guys think?
