Rocket Men: The Black Quarterbacks Who Revolutionized Pro Football

by John Eisenberg

An acclaimed sportswriter offers an inside look at the Black quarterbacks whose skill and grit transformed the NFL   In Rocket Men,  John Eisenberg offers the definitive history of Black quarterbacks in the NFL—men who shaped not only the history of football but the cause of civil rights in America. From early pioneers like Fritz Pollard to groundbreaking modern standouts like Marlin Briscoe and James “Shack” Harris, Black quarterbacks had to be twice as good as their white counterparts to get playing time—and even then, many never got that chance. That didn’t begin to change in earnest until the 1990s and the 2000s, when racist notions about what Black quarterbacks supposedly couldn’t do began to fade, paving the way for today’s stars like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson.  Drawing on deep historical research and exclusive interviews with Black quarterbacks and players, coaches, and talent evaluators who have worked alongside them, Rocket Men is a celebration of the athletes and activists who transformed the game. 

Genres: Sports, Football, Nonfiction

416 pages, Hardcover

Published September 5, 2023

About the author

John Eisenberg is one of the country’s most acclaimed sportswriters. A native of Dallas, Texas and graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, he started out covering the “Friday Night Lights” for the now-defunct Dallas Times Herald in 1979. After rising through the ranks to cover pro basketball, he joined the staff of the Baltimore Sun in 1984. For the next 23 years he wrote columns in the Sun about the hometown Orioles, Ravens and Maryland Terrapins, and also covered major events such as the World Series, Super Bowl and Olympics. His honors included several firsts in the prestigious Associated Press Sports Editors’ contest. Since 2012 he has written columns on the Ravens’ website.

John has also authored 10 bestselling sports books, including The Streak: Lou Gehrig, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Baseball’s Most Historic Record. Published in 2017, it was a finalist for the Casey Award, which honors the year’s best baseball book, and was shortlisted for the PEN/ESPN Literary Sportswriting Award, which honors the year’s best sports book. John’s most recent title is The League: How Five Rivals Created the NFL and Launched a Sports Empire. John has also written for Sports Illustrated and Smithsonian Magazine. He lives in Baltimore with his wife of 35years. They have two grown children and a grandson.

Reviews

[C Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rocket Men is a well written and excellent book on the history of Black quarterbacks in the NFL. The primary thesis of the book is that racism and racial stereotypes have historically kept well deserving Black quarterbacks from an opportunity to be starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Two false narratives lead to this result, one being Black quarterbacks are not smart enough to understand the nuances of offenses and the second being a Black athlete cannot be a leader on the field among their white peers. Historically, even the rare Black quarterbacks in even darker days of racism prove this wrong, the prime example being Fritz Pollard in the 1920's.

The other issue with black athletes over the years is many times the more prominent black quarterbacks in college were scrambling, running quarterbacks versus pocket passers, with pocket passers being preferred historically in the NFL.

Of course, it is well known that from 1933 through 1945 there were no black players of any position in professional football in the United States. While there is no proof of an explicit ban, or even a spoken or unspoken gentleman's agreement, the later almost had to be true. My speculation is that the other owners didn't want to upset the virulent racist Washington Football Team owner Geroge Preston Marshall who didn't want black players, even on other teams, playing on or against his Washington Team. And back then NFL owners were a very close-knit gentleman's club, much more so that it is today even.

Times change very slowly and even more slowly for black quarterbacks where finally, today, Black athletes are given their proper opportunity to compete for the quarterback job.

While many black quarterbacks did not get a fair shot at the NFL the one that stands out most to me is Warren Moon. He had to win 5 Canadian Football League championships to finally get his shot at the NFL. And he had a Hall of Fame career in the NFL and should have been given his proper chance right out of college.

The book also gives other examples where black quarterbacks with similar good (or bad) results as young NFL quarterbacks are not given the chance to develop where similar white quarterbacks get multiple chances to succeed for fail. This is unequivocally true.

I do have one major complaint about the book and a few quibbles, which I think are a result of it trying too hard to make its point.

The major complaint I have is when it compares Marlin Briscoe to Lamar Jackson.

Briscoe, who played quarterback at what is now the University of Nebraska at Omaha, when drafted to the NFL never got a fair chance to play quarterback. There is a quote in the book from a professor of African American studies that said: "The only real differences between these two players? We're talking about the same stature…The only difference between them is opportunity."

Sorry, but this is an absurd statement. The book (page 81) says Briscoe was 5'11 185 pounds. Lamar Jackson on Pro Football Reference is listed as 6'2 215 pounds. That is a significant size difference for an NFL quarterback. And sorry again, but Lamar Jackson is a unique talent and Briscoe was nothing like Lamar Jackson. The comparison just doesn't stand up to even the slightest scrutiny.

I get the point though. But a better comparison would be between Briscoe and Doug Flutie. Doug Flutie on the same website is listed at 5'10 180 pounds. He was about the same size and had a very similar style to Briscoe in scrambling and running and had many, many chances in the USFL, CFL and NFL to play starting quarterback. Briscoe didn't. And while I can't prove it, my gut tells me Briscoe would a have been a (much) better overall NFL quarterback than Flutie. Unfortunately, he did not get an equal chance to prove that right or wrong.

My few quibbles. There are examples of average to bad Black quarterbacks not getting the same opportunities as similar white quarterbacks and that is true. Akili Smith of the Cincinnati Bengals was one example given. He played from 1999 to 2002, was total trash and they moved on and he bounced around in the NFL and CFL for a few years. I am not going to fault the team for moving on from a quarterback that clearly wasn't going to work out. Okay, I know people can probably list a host of terrible white quarterbacks that got many more chances with their team, point taken (Kyle Boller of the Ravens comes to mind, and Zach Wilson of the Jets today). But I don’t buy the argument because the Bengals drafted him with the 3rd overall pick in 1999. Teams don't just jettison a 3rd overall pick or even a first round pick unless they are very sure he isn't going to work out.

I have a few other quibbles but the other one that bothered me is saying that Kyle Murray (Arizona Cardinals) had a "study" clause in his contract implying it was because the team felt he was not smart enough because he was black. That is so, shall I say, not a smart implication. It was well reported by NFL pundits that Murray liked to spend more time playing video games than studying the playbook or film and that is why he had a "study" clause in his contract. To imply otherwise is not believable, especially since he was a 1st round draft pick and being signed to a massive contract. Of course, if you are going to pay a player a huge contract with $160 million guaranteed, you want to make sure they put in the effort to earn that money (pulled the number from Wikipedia).

That all said, I did quite enjoy the book even though I was annoyed with it at times for trying a little to hard to make a point that didn’t require it.

[Nicholas Katers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rocket Men is a thorough account of the many talented quarterbacks throughout football history who were denied opportunities because they were Black. Eisenberg explores the stories of greats from Fritz Pollard to Lamar Jackson who persevered despite the racism built into professional football's foundations. The lack of opportunities for Black quarterbacks led to few opportunities for Black backups - a career-prolonging role - and coaches, thus reinforcing outdated notions as best practice.

[Terrence Bizor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love everything about this book. I am sports fan who knows quite about sports history and trivia. I love how much of this history I don’t know. This needs to be taught in school as America as a whole can learn about the history of oppression in this position and how it’s handled.

[Andy Tuite · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read with lots of truth about how Black quarterbacks were viewed for years. A few gaps and false assumptions but overall a good book

[Drake McCrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the few books to actually deliver on the praise from its cover.

[Daniel Montague · Rating 4 out of 5]

P. 172: “Doug, it’s obvious you’ve been a Black quarterback for some time. When did it start to matter?” Butch John, The Clarion-Ledger


The latest edition of the NFL Draft began last Thursday. What was once an afterthought has become an “event.” A multiple day event that is simulcast over multiple networks (ESPN, ABC and The NFL Network). Filled with all sorts of pomp and circumstance, it mixes the silly with the serious at one moment “honoring” the fallen victims of a military operation and the next having a former NFL star soused to the gills lambasting a former rival’s fans or city. To the most ardent fan, this is akin to waking up early on Christmas morning and waiting to unwrap your new present. Maybe this player will restore our rightful place in the pantheon. Maybe he will lead us to the promised land. In all of the endless poking and prodding, the endless vignettes about what makes this player amazing, nary a word was spoken about the first two picks being Black quarterbacks (Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels). I am not foolish enough to think that this means there is no racism or bigotry in the NFL—the continual lack of minority coaches and in leadership have proven otherwise, but it feels like a step forward. This heavily researched book by John Eisenberg has shown this evolution and all of the blood, sweat, and tears that were shed by the Black pioneers that have enabled the question of being a Black quarterback practically moot.

The road of the Black quarterback has been an incredibly treacherous one. Filled with early pioneers such as Fritz Pollard, who excited fans of professional football much the way of Red Grange, but with a darker complexion. Nominally, a running back, the primer position of the time, Pollard would take snaps, technically making him a quarterback. Treated with disrespect and scorn, in spite of his collegial background, he would become the first of many disillusioned Black quarterbacks. The NFL itself would not have a Black quarterback attempt a pass, until 1953, when the aptly named Willie Thrower, came in to relieve George Blanda for the Bears. The absurdity of a nearly 30-year gap between Black quarterbacks was due to the prevailing racism of the time. Not that this racism got much better, as there was not an opening day starting Black quarterback until James Harris started out the 1969 season with the Buffalo Bills. In spite of the changing mood in racial relations and attitudes that were occurring throughout the country, playing as a quarterback was as likely as becoming president for a Black man in the United States. The extreme racism of some of the leadership, is best personified by George Preston Marshall owner of the Washington Redskins, who proudly touted his Confederate heritage and whose team did not integrate until 1963. I guess shitty ownership for the Redskins/Football Team/Commandeers is just inevitable.

In addition to James Harris, there was the case of Marlin Briscoe. Briscoe, listed at under 6 feet tall, started a game for the Denver Broncos in 1968. Fleet and deft as a passer, many of the characteristics that would be prized later on, Briscoe was ahead of his time. Despite showing great promise his rookie year, throwing for 14 touchdowns on a subpar team, he was essentially forced to switch positions. Briscoe did this becoming a terrific wide receiver. A cautionary tale on the debilitating effects of not having an opportunity would be Joe Gilliam. Considered by many on the Steelers staff of possessing just as much if not more talent as the fair-haired scion, Terry Bradshaw, he was given half the chances. While Bradshaw was allowed to make mistakes and grow from them, Gilliam was given a short leash. As such, he became deeply embittered and developed a drug addiction, which helped him cope with the pain of being unfairly treated and destroyed a promising career and life.

For a long time, Harris would be considered the exemplar for Black quarterbacks. He played in 83 games, starting in nearly half of them. Though, not always the starter, he was a dependable option, with a powerful arm and prototypical size. He was well respected and got along with his teammates, even those he competed with in the quarterback room. After his playing career, his acumen led to front office roles with the Ravens and Jaguars, further adding to his legacy as a pioneer. While Harris held the water for a number of years, Doug Williams, the first Black Quarterback to win a Super Bowl, would open the most eyes due to his performance on the largest stage.

Williams was similar in stature to Harris and even played for the same college, Grambling State, under the mentorship of Eddie Robinson. Different from Harris and in some small part because of him, he was highly regarded coming out of college, becoming the first Black quarterback picked in the first round the NFL draft. Though his draft status gave him more leeway in regard to making errors, he was still plagued by prejudicial attitudes. These doubts, though no longer consensus, still resided in many front offices. Constantly, having to prove to doubters his credibility, Williams was still able to lead multiple teams to the playoffs. The first team, the Buccaneers lead by their cantankerous and notorious owner, Hugh Culverhouse, so infuriated Williams with his ploys to underpay him, that he opted to play in the renegade USFL. He later made his way back to the NFL and in 1987 led the Redskins to a Super Bowl victory, with one of the most amazing performances. Also, he earned my never-ending gratitude, by beating that horse-faced jackass John Elway and his Broncos.

After that Warren Moon and Randall Cunningham, two incredibly talented quarterbacks with two distinct styles ushered in the modern-day crop of quarterbacks. Moon is the great bridge between eras of not only Black quarterbacks, but the NFL at large. This is fairly ironic, given how little opportunity he was given by the NFL. Despite setting records at the University of Washington, he was never considered much of an NFL prospect. Forced with having to change positions, Moon decided to ply his talent in the Great White North. While playing in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos, Moon set record after record. His play became so transcendent, that the NFL even began to notice. He would go on to play 17 seasons there, playing in a pass heavy scheme called the run-and-shoot offense which he captained. This offense based on quick decisions and reads, would led to an eventual shift in philosophy. Cunningham, with a cannon for an arm and wheels for legs, was a new breed of quarterback. Equally devastating with his arm or legs, his descendants would foster a modern-day NFL.

Overall, this book did a stellar job chronicling the experience of the Black quarterback from pariah to afterthought, to accepted. While, it would be ignorant of me to say that race has been taken out of the equation in finding an NFL quarterback, it is no longer the predominant one. Even though this book did many things well, I was perplexed by the inclusion of one Dr. Charles K. Ross. I do not know if the author felt he needed someone in academia to add gravitas, but the random quotations of Dr. Ross, not only did not add anything, but it also became a distraction. After reading a 20-page chapter, why do you think it is a good idea to have a random guy, make a blanket statement, say something arbitrarily or give a synopsis on what I just read? Even with that minor quibble, this book was still well-written and chock full of information. As someone who has faithfully watched the NFL for at least 3 decades, the later parts were largely confirmation, but the earlier parts really stood out. 4 solid stars.

[Scott Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid read for the football fan. Especially since I grew up in Houston, I recall many of the key moments for Warren Moon, the 1st African America QB to make the NFL Hall of Fame. Granted, there was no Super Bowl, but that is beside the point. This work follows the history and evolution of the Black Quarterback in NFL history. It is not exactly a shining account for the league. Collusion and racial attitudes did much to set back many a prospect and thus, many who might have been the early Moon or Mahomes never got a fair chance. Some had their moments, but for every Harris (who started for the playoff-contending Rams) to Doug Williams (Super Bowl XXII MVP), there were tons of others who never got a fair chance. The league, however, slowly, is evolving from the mindset that African Americans can’t play QB at the NFL-level (although the criticisms for eventually two time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson still resonate in a bad way from 2018).

There were a few minor errors in the book, but I guess you can’t catch everything in the editing process. Still, this is for the football fan who lacks the backstory/understanding of the evolution of the most important position in the game, and how a group of people were discriminated against, to their determent and to the league’s shame.

[LAMONT D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly, a fascinating read that reminded me of and informed me of the history of so many great black quarterbacks and players. At the end of the day, you have to judge for yourself how much of the struggle was primarily related to racism by the powers-at-be and how much was just a function of human nature, opportunity and the willingness to change. I have a very low opinion of most football experts/ coaches and those that made decisions on personnel over the years (especially with my beloved Bears). Those decisions are certainly up for scrutiny and analysis. Plus, the facts as presented in the books plus personal testimony of the individuals themselves certainly weigh heavy on the injustice at times for those considered great athletes but not worthy of playing the QB position at the highest level.

[Joshua Paes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book with a great message. I find it comes across as preachy and it does over exaggerate certain comparisons (quote stating that the only difference between Marlin Briscoe and Lamar Jackson was opportunity, when in actuality, Lamar is bigger, stronger, faster and just a much better football player). Nevertheless, the casual and hardcore NFL fan should read this book to understand the past struggles many Black quarterbacks had to go through to get where we are today, with Jalen Hurts triumphantly lifting the Super Bowl (I’m an eagles fan 🦅🦅).

[Jeff Alexy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book as it documents each black quarterback throughout the history of the NFL. I knew a lot of the recent history but didn’t know anything before the 1980s. Always sad to read about discrimination and hate but glad that more opportunities have been given to black QBs in the past decade. Pretty quick read.

[Lance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professional football has become quarterback centric as people at that position, while always important, now more than ever will be important to their team’s fortunes. There are several Black quarterbacks now leading successful NFL teams and compiling gawdy statistics. They include Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray. However, it hasn’t always been this way. For a long time, due to the racism of NFL owners, talent scouts and the league in general, Black players were denied the opportunity to play at the position. Accomplished football author John Eisenberg gives a very good historical account of this travesty and how it has improved, albeit slowly.

Eisenberg makes the case throughout the book that there were many Black players who were denied the chance to play the position professionally and tells in detail what went behind the decisions to have other (read: white) players man that position. At times, it feels like Eisenberg is taking a sledgehammer to convince the reader that this was wrong and that it was only due to prejudicial thinking by white coaches, scouts or owners that was the reason for this. That is an exaggeration on the part of this reviewer, and surely Eisenberg did not mean to communicate the issue as such, but so many points and facts are repeated that it felt that way – such as frequent references that Doug Williams is the only Black quarterback to have led a team to a Super Bowl victory.

Putting that aside, otherwise the book is a fantastic look at the position and the Black men who either have succeeded at quarterback, were denied a chance, or were given the chance but would lose the job due to something like a bad game, a bad outcome on a play or an injured quarterback would be coming back. There are some of the stories that are well known. An example of this would be Warren Moon. He was shunned in the 1978 NFL draft, mainly because it was felt that he lacked the “smarts” to play quarterback. So, Moon went to the Canadian Football League (CFL) and led the Edmonton Eskimos to one of the greatest dynasties in that league as they won five Grey Cups (Canada’s version of the Super Bowl) before the NFL saw the errors of their ways and Moon signed with the Houston Oilers. From there, he passed for over 50,000 yards in the NFL and became the first Black quarterback to be enshrined in the pro football Hall of Fame.

An example of a lesser-known story would be that of Marlin Briscoe. Fans of the NFL in the 1960’s and 1970’s may remember Briscoe as a member of the Miami Dolphins when they won two Super Bowls – but as a defensive back. He was originally a quarterback, but after some ineffective games, he was asked to switch positions. This was a fate that was common to Black quarterbacks who may have succeeded in college, but after being drafted, their professional team felt they would help the team more in a position that required more “athleticism.” There are so many examples of this that at times it’s almost depressing to read about them, but they are important to know so that a reader understands the history behind the exclusion of Black quarterbacks.

There is much more to this history than a review like this can explain, but hopefully readers will come away feeling educated about the history of the position and understand that while there has been great progress in the use and acceptance of Black players at quarterback, the NFL can still do better.

I wish to thank Basic Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

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[Ben Beard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warren Moon was my favorite quarterback as a kid. He came into the league the year I was born and stuck around until I was halfway through high school. It was a long, healthy, hall of fame career. I knew he had trouble getting into the league as a black quarterback, but didn't realize what a rarity his full career was.

One of the downsides to a book with such a long historical scope is that every person it focuses on starts to read like a brief wikipedia entry. In this case, it was a depressing scroll, because until Moon came along, every story began to have the exact same sad beats: talented young leader has success at every level until he gets to the NFL and then is either forced to change positions, given the shortest of leashes, or denied entry all together. Seeing the history laid out like that really shows the ugliness of ignorance. Apart from denying worthy young men the same opportunity to make a career as others, it was just stupid. Imagine the competitive advantage it would have been for a progressive team. In the NBA, they had Red Auerbach, who's racial progressivism allowed him to go after Bill Russell when other teams were afraid to take a black man with a high draft pick. He built his entire team around Russell's strengths, making him both the centerpiece and leader. The Celtics immediately became the most dominant professional sports dynasty ever. In the more conservative minded NFL, no such forward thinker existed.

Thankfully, the latter half of the book is more uplifting, as modern quarterbacks like Vick, Culpepper, Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson, and Mahomes are given the leadership opportunities that those who came before them were denied.

It was an interesting and important read, if it did at times feel a bit shallow because of its extensive scope.