USA TODAY International Edition
MAKING HISTORY Mahomes vs. Hurts
Two Black QBs will start in the Super Bowl for the first time
Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts will make history next month as the first pair of Black quarterbacks to face off in a Super Bowl when the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles play each other Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona.
Mahomes punched his ticket to Super Bowl 57 with a 23- 20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC championship game Sunday. The 27- year- old played through an ankle injury and led a game- winning drive in the final minutes.
Hurts and the Eagles cruised to a 31- 7 win over the San Francisco 49ers. The third- year quarterback amassed 160 allpurpose yards and ran for a TD.
Mahomes and Hurts have faced off once previously, with the Chiefs coming out on top 42- 30 in a 2021 game. Now, the two standout quarterbacks and MVP candidates will meet on the NFL’s biggest stage.
Have any Black QBs have won a Super Bowl?
Three Black quarterbacks have hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, with the most recent being Mahomes for the 2019 season. Doug Williams ( Washington, 1987) and Russell Wilson ( Seattle Seahawks, 2013) are the others.
Steve McNair, Donovan McNabb, Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson and Cam Newton are among the other Black QBs to start in a Super Bowl.
Mahomes has a chance to become the first Black quarterback to win multiple titles, while Hurts could become the fourth Black QB to win it all.
Why is Mahomes vs. Hurts significant?
The historic matchup is important for a number of reasons. Not only will the game match two of the NFL’s top athletes against each other, but Super Bowl 57 – which takes place during Black History Month – and its worldwide platform should serve as a groundbreaking event of representation for Black quarterbacks.
Super Bowl 57 will also likely play a role in Mahomes’ legacy as a player. Having already hoisted one Lombardi Trophy, the opportunity to win a second is an important juncture for Mahomes.
Many fans and experts also predict future Super Bowl matchups between the two young and talented quarterbacks of strong NFL teams, adding further intrigue to which signal- caller comes out on top in this first postseason meeting.