The NFL’s color issues
The National Football League has a problem with color — but it’s likely not the one that comes to mind.
When I think “color problem” and the NFL, I immediately go to the disparity between ownership and players. Out of the 32 NFL teams, there are zero African-American owners. In a league where African-American players number 70 percent of the total, to not have one black owned franchise is an embarrassment.
I’ll give some credit to the league for the inclusion of seven women owners, white women, but still, women, in the exclusive club. But this needs to change. The ostracism of players like Colin Kaepernick, for dubious reasons, needs to change.
But the “color problem” in this case has more to do with uniforms. Early in December Tim Ryan, radio-color analyst for the 49ers, made a statement regarding Ravens African-American quarterback Lamar Jackson’s skin tone and a possible advantage in “zone read” ball handling, which is dependent on sleight of hand. Jackson, likely the league’s MVP, is a second year running quarterback similar to Robert Griffin III, re-signed by the Ravens this year in a backup role. Griffin went from 2012 Rookie of the Year to out of football, due to injuries, by 2015. He’s hoping to catch on with another team in a starting role. But the career of a running quarterback has much to do with health, in addition to ability. Unless elusive, as are players like Jackson and the Seahawks’ (unbelievable 49er win there) Russell Wilson, it can be a very short, painful ride.
Ryan made the statement that Jackson is exceptional at faking hand-offs because of his “dark skin color with a dark football.” It was an innocent, although insensitive, statement, one that was immediately apologized for and refuted as not the reason for Jackson’s exceptional ball handling. One talking head opined that if there were an advantage, white quarterbacks would be wearing brown gloves (or maybe just the right shade of hand makeup). But Ryan inadvertently brings up an overlooked point. Taking the theory a bit further, I think it has more to do with the uniform colors.
The football, in this game, was darker than normal due to wet conditions and more difficult to see against the black of the Ravens’ jersey as opposed to the white (worn that day), or the red, of the San Francisco 49ers’ jersey. This hasn’t been much of an issue to date due to most offenses not utilizing the “zone read” type of offense that’s dependent on faking hand-offs. The split second a defender has to recognize whether or not the ball is still with the quarterback is rendered moot if the ball is camouflaged and not readily visible. Unless both teams’ uniforms, in the area where the ball is held by the quarterback, are the same color, this could be seen as an unfair advantage, one that the NFL must address going forward.
— Michael J. Haworth/ Vallejo