Patrick Mahomes pays tribute to Doug Williams on historic occasion for Black NFL players

Long before Patrick Mahomes was born, racism was a defining aspect of all parts of American life. Black Americans were not allowed to participate in professional sports. Even though football was integrated in 1946, there were no Black quarterbacks because it was seen as a "thinking man's" position.

That said, while plenty of progress has been made, there is still a long way to go. Still, in Super Bowl LVII, Americans are marking the event as the first championship in the NFL in which two Black quarterbacks face each other. It would not have been possible if not for quarterback Doug Williams, who became the first Black quarterback to play in a Super Bowl.

Today's contestant Patrick Mahomes paid tribute to the quarterback during the leadup to the big game via ESPN. Here's what he said:

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"There's been a lot of great Black quarterbacks throughout the entire NFL's lifespan, and they haven't got the same opportunities that I've been given now. Doug Williams, the first Black quarterback to be in a Super Bowl... That opened the door for me."

Did Doug Williams win the Lombardi Trophy 35 years before the Mahomes-Hurts battle in Super Bowl LVII?

Doug Williams at Washington Redskins v Green Bay Packers

In 1987, Williams took to the field as the first African-American quarterback to start the big game. On the other side, he faced John Elway and the Denver Broncos. As the first Black quarterback to reach the Super Bowl, his goal was also to become the first starting African-American quarterback to win a Super Bowl. Did he accomplish the goal?

Put simply, he accomplished his goal in spades. John Elway had never won a Super Bowl before and looked like it in the big game.

Williams' Washington Redskins won 42-10 in a blowout victory. At first, the Broncos looked like they could run away with the game after a 10-0 start.

The Redskins responded in the second quarter, scoring 35 points. The Broncos were shut out for the rest of the game, and aside from a fourth-quarter score, the score stayed where it was in the second half.