Not Russell Wilson, NFL Analyst Names 4x Pro Bowl Winner That “Kicked the Door Down” for Patrick Mahomes and Co.

In an interview with Essence, Wilson expressed, “For me to be able to go to back-to-back Super Bowls, and win one of them, I think opened up a lot of doors.” Wilson’s remarks of “opening doors” are receiving an array of opinions from many. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ new quarterback was recently featured on the cover of the ESSENCE magazine, where he was named the “Sexiest Man of the Moment.”

During the interview, he talked about his football career, faith, and business ventures, including the statement of building up a new era in the league. However, as per sports podcasters, Chris Broussard and Rob Parker, it’s not Wilson who has “opened the doors,” but it’s a four-time Super Bowl winner, former Eagles quarterback, who has done it.

Did Rusell Wilson pave the way for Patrick Mahomes & Co.?

In a recent episode of THE ODD COUPLE podcast show on Fox Sports Radio, Chris Broussard & Rob Parker, reacted to Russell Wilson’s new comment on paving the way for Patrick Mahomes and company. He believes that his role as a black NFL quarterback has paved the way for “guys like Patrick Mahomes who won it; it’s really just us so far, but there’s more to come.” The rise of quarterbacks such as Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, and C.J. Stroud shows that football is entering a new era.

These players represent where the sport is heading and what it’s becoming. However, Broussard & Parker don’t view Wilson as a trailblazer for black quarterbacks, as they suggested a few names who have shaped the league in a different way, much before Wilson. They pointed to earlier pioneers like James Harris, Doug Williams and Michael Vick. They acknowledged Wilson’s accomplishments but argued that the path for black quarterbacks in the league was already being paved before him.

Broussard emphasized, “I think the guy that really kicked the door down was Michael Vick. And when I think of Michael Vick, you know what I think of him was the first quarterback to go to Green Bay to win like that was one of those moments like nobody said that Green Bay had not lost a home game or something in the postseason and he was the first one to go in there and win.” Chiming in, Parker added, “I’m with you on Michael Vick. He had the running style and the arm, he did change it.”

How did Michael Vick pave the way for today’s dual-threat quarterbacks?

Michael Vick made history in 2001 as the first Black quarterback to be selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons. He started playing for Atlanta shortly after, and during that season, around 24% of starting quarterbacks in the league were Black. It was his spectacular performance that generated a sense of greatness for the black QBs in the NFL eyes.

Vick’s career spanned 13 years, during which he played for several teams, including the Falcons, Eagles, Jets, and Steelers. He left a significant impact on the perception of the quarterback position, paving the way for today’s top Black quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and Dak Prescott.

Vick’s achievements, including his impressive statistics “(2,936 yards, rushing for 777 (at the time the third-highest single-season mark for a quarterback in NFL history) and scoring 26 total touchdowns, top 5 in MVP voting,” and leading the Falcons to their first playoff appearance in years, contributed to the changing landscape of the NFL quarterback position.

Read more: After Mahomes Clan, Deion Sanders’ 3 Words Inspire Russell Wilson as He Eyes Glory With the Steelers