"Weird when you see guys like me, Lamar, Kyler kind of get that" - Patrick Mahomes speaks out against black QBs getting criticized and doubted more by fans and analysts

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has questioned the motives behind some of the criticism leveled at black quarterbacks in the NFL. When asked about some recent incidents involving Kyler Murray and Lamar Jackson, Mahomes had the following to say:

"I don’t want to go that far and say that. Obviously, the black quarterback has had to battle to be in this position that we are, to have this many guys in the league playing. And I think, every day, we’re proving that we should’ve been playing the whole time. We’ve got guys that think just as well as they can use their athleticism."

He continued:

“So it always is weird when you see guys like me, Lamar, Kyler, kind of get that on them, and other guys don’t. But, at the same time, we’re going to go out there and prove ourselves every day to show that we can be some of the best quarterbacks in the league.”

Is Patrick Mahomes correct? Are black quarterbacks more heavily scrutinized?

Philadelphia Eagles v Washington Redskins

Black players have historically faced difficulty landing quarterback roles because of numerous racial stereotypes. Studies have found that scouts and analysts tend to focus on the physical attributes of black quarterbacks, rather than their intellectual capabilities to perform the role.

If you think that is a perception from decades ago, think again. Mike Sando of "The Athletic" spoke to 50 anonymous NFL coaches and general managers. He wanted to gage their thoughts regarding the current crop of signal callers in the league.

Here is an evaluation of Patrick Mahomes provided by a league coach:

"We love Mahomes because of his unorthodox throws, not because of his natural pocket presence. And when that disappears, that is when they lose games. I don’t think that is a 1. I think that is a 2. Nothing against the guy. I love the kid. But take his first read away, and what does he do? He runs, he scrambles, and he plays streetball."

In comparison, Josh Allen, a player with many similarities to Mahomes, was given some of the following write-ups by league personnel:

“Josh Allen is a better version of Lamar, and I love him as a football player. I still think he is erratic as a thrower, and so he doesn’t scare me the same way Rodgers does. But he’s ascending."

While one defensive coordinator said:

“Some guys you’ve got to just give credit for being big, talented guys that can overcome a lot of stuff. He may not be perfect, but he’s so big and so talented that he carries the team. He is a freak. He is not going to expertly handle pure-pass situations, but he doesn’t have to a lot of times. He may have five guys hanging on him and complete it anyway.”

The perception seems to be that, once Mahomes’ physical attributes diminish, he will no longer be as effective. Whereas, the assumption seems to be that Josh Allen will simply figure things out regardless.

So does Mahomes have a point? Are black quarterbacks still unfairly scrutinized?

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