He came back for a very team-friendly contract with incentives in 2023, then again in 2024 for the first year without Pete Carroll as head coach in Seattle since 2010. His numbers have not been bad since, but his QB Rating has fallen each season: 100.9 in 2022, 92.1 in 2023, and 90.5 in 2024. The Seattle Seahawks have, so far, been a 9-win outfit each of those years. This year’s figure ranks him 19th in the NFL this year… that’s Derek Carr territory .

You could blame some of this on the deterioration of the offensive line in Seattle: ranked bottom-5 in run-block win-rate (according to ESPN) and 2nd-worst in the league at allowing pressure (39.9% of drop backs). I think, however, the theme around Seattle over the last couple of years is frustration. Frustration at always being slightly better than average. Frustration at the same results over and over and over again. That consternated vibe carried Carroll out of the PNW and ushered in Mike Macdonald and his crew of cronies.

Mike Macdonald himself (partnered with John Schneider, no doubt) ha(ve)s been unafraid to let solid players go to seek the outstanding. Tyler Lockett got demoted, Stone Forsythe sat on IR, Zach Charbonnet finally got run, 6th and 7th round rookies (Sataoa Laumea and Michael Jerrell, respectively) were given a shot on the offensive line, Sam Howell was traded for, Darrell Taylor, Mike Jackson and Jerome Baker were all shipped out, Josh Jobe took Tre Brown’s job, Coby Bryant took Rayshawn Jenkins’ job, Riq Woolen was once again benched, and the Hawks’ leader in tackles (up until that point) in Tyrel Dodson was straight up cut. It’s a new era, and everyone has a shot to make some noise and prove something to the new head man. This isn’t just ho-hum try your best buds… every position will be evaluated.

I do believe that it is in the best interests of the team to bring back Geno Smith if you can get him on a relatively cheap contract. I mean, the man is 34 years old… a grandpappy in NFL eyes. Seattle already fired its offensive coordinator in Ryan Grubb, so a little continuity in another transition year couldn’t hurt. That’s also the reason I think the Hawks hire an experienced play caller this time around, but that may be an article for another day. Bring the offensive leader back at a figure that doesn’t break the bank, and if he can’t get it done, you have Sam Howell and hopefully some kind of draft pick as the contingency plans. You’ve got to believe all of the chemistry and good will Smith has banked in Seattle could lead him to offer a hometown discount at this point in his career as well. If the team around his is elite and cohesive next year, if he is not under constant siege in the pocket, he is a capable trigger man that knows his weapons.

Having that been said, let’s dive into the possible destinations that could beckon to Geno Smith, if the Seahawks ring of trust disagrees with me and wants to do a clean sweep. If Smith winds up parting with Seattle as a part of the next steps of the Mike Macdonald era (which Kenneth Arthur seems pretty convinced will happen), there should be demand for a capable passer. Maybe not from former teams in the Jets and Giants, but there will be a market for his services. Wherever he goes (especially be it in Seattle), I’ll wish him success.

In Alphabetical Order:

Carolina Panthers

• This is an absolute wild card to start with, but the QB coach for Geno during his breakout year is now the HC in Carolina. Smith could be very attracted to playing in a similar system that he found a lot of success in, proving that it’s his surroundings and not his age that’s responsible for regression. Los Panteras invested in the offensive line this past offseason, signing OG’s Robert Hunt and (former Seahawk teammate) Damien Lewis. Dave Canales know the value of this, as the team he just left his post as OC for (the Buccaneers) have the 4th-ranked line (according to PFN) going into Week 18. Think Smith disagrees with the Seattle GM’s stance on guards after this season of hell behind John’s joke of a line? This would also be the locale with the shakiest hold on the job, as Bryce Young has shown a bit of improvement late in the season.

Cleveland Browns

• What if there is a true competition with Deshaun Watson? Watson has been underreported as the worst trade of all-time… don’t give that to Russ! Watson has been bad, even despite Cleveland’s OL being 11th in pass block win rate, according to ESPN. Our guy G. would pray for line play that solid. The Browns chose the wrong guy, seeing Baker Mayfield (who they basically said wasn’t a grown up (lol)) advance to the playoffs with the Bucs once again. There are a couple of Seattle boys on the line there as well, and Cedric Tillman could come to life as a downfield threat once again. Divisional matchups against Russ, ladies and gentlemen?

Indianapolis Colts

• This one could make a lot of sense. Indy has a strong tradition of very good offensive line performance (something Geno should covet at this point in his career), stout defense and is chock-full with playmakers. Sounds like the kind of environment that Russell Wilson got at the start of his career! Ok, enough about him, this is #7 we are talking about. Anthony Richardson is physically astounding, but 38 out of 38 qualifying quarterbacks in QB Rating this year. That’s bad, and Shane Steichen is coaching for his job this year… Flacco ain’t gonna cut it.

Las Vegas Raiders

• Edit: Removed the New Orleans Saints here, replacing the Black and Gold of NOLA with the Silver and Black that now colors the desert. Pete Carroll is back and he will rise again! (Ok, maybe a LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO HOME there ) The man known to chew gum, rock Nike Monarchs and find elite DB’s everywhere he goes could look for a little help from one of his “all-time favorite guys“! The new head man of the Raiders is an enjoyer of savvy vet QB’s on cheap deals who can take care of the ball and rally the troops. Or cheap rookies… but the team may be too far off from the top of the draft to go the young route. G-Money rolling the dice down the seams in Sin City could bring some needed excitement to town.

Tennessee Titans

• The Titans finally benched the mayo man, Will Levis. There are a lot of similarities between the offenses and defenses of both Tennesse and Seattle, so the transition could be eased down in Cashville. The Seahawks even conducted joint practices with the Titans this past offseason, getting intimate with an opposing squad in a hostile environment. Coach Callahan brought his POPS in to help fortify the offensive trenches and may prefer a more traditional pocket passer than what he has in Levis.

You don’t want to go to these teams Geno, what can we do to make this thing work for one more year?!

It would be a treat to see Geno Smith back with a commiserate contract. We’ve seen him play at a high level, he can navigate pressure well, he is a respected leader and he’s still hungry. Worst case scenario, if Father Time has him in his clutches and his play sinks next year… maybe you roll with him until the wheels come off and put you in position to draft a young prospect. That or Sam Howell saves the day… J.J. McCarthy? Joe Milton??? One thing is for sure: Seattle won’t be able to properly evaluate the effectiveness of any quarterback until they fix the offensive trenches and blocking schemes.

How does it feel when you prove someone wrong who doubted you? How about when some bozo doesn’t take your advice, and you were proved right?! Do you gloat a little when you see an ex has a little misfortune or finds someone who can’t measure up to you…

Are you Mr. Highroad? Please, I know you’ve felt satisfaction in seeing a showboating athlete get dominated. C’mon, swing that leg down from the high horse bud. One of the great poets of our generation once said, “revenge is like the sweetest joy, next to getting cookies!” (or something like that from Mr. Shakur).

Maybe you’re one of those that is cringing at the above level of pettiness… please, spare us all don’t act like you don’t think a little thing called KARMA makes the world a better and more fair place!

We know you like it revel in it for a hot second. Let the tiniest of smirks slowly creep across your lips for three beats. Apparently, some of you agree.

The matchups below are no mere “player faces his former team”… OHHH NO!! We need better than that. MUCH better.

The Harbaugh Bowl doesn’t cut it. That’s going to be a brotherly love fest. Rams against Lions will not make this list. Stafford and Detroit have respect for each other. I can’t say the same for Goff, but it doesn’t scratch that itch quite enough.

Even after some of these players get paid a king’s ransom, a few will be driven by the powerful thirst for revenge.

These games are the ones packed with the most acrimony, and each figure will have malice in their hearts when they get a chance to enact some long-awaited vengeance on gameday.

Remember Baltimore Steve Smith Sr. promising blood and guts, then eviscerating the team that gave up on him, in the Panthers? One of the most dramatic revenge games I’ve ever seen was Seattle and the 12’s vs. Broncos QB, Russell Wilson. The DJ was playing an all-Future playlist before the game all to get in the head of a player that forced his way out, complaining about teammates, head coach, general manager, and trying to get the latter two fired.

There were many candidates for this list… but as I said, only the most toxic will do

10. Bears, D’Andre Swift @ Lions, David Montgomery (Week 13) – This man Swift chose Chicago so he could tear the Lions a NEW ONE for not letting him join the Detroit ascent, after all he sacrificed! Let’s not forget that Montgomery always looks angry, and his successor in Chicago (Khalil Herbert) has not lived up to his contributions. These two are in position to deliver some literal body blows to their former employers.

9. Texans vs. Titans (Week 12) – The Titans sure riled up the division rival Texans last year by wearing the Oilers throwbacks. Controversial because Tennessee owns the rights to the Houston throwbacks due to the move. (That’s terrible. I’m so relieved that Seattle retained the rights to the Sonics’ team colors, logo and history). You think owner, Cal McNair is just itching to use the new baby blue accent jerseys against Amy Adams Strunk’s team?

8. 49ers, K.J. Wright @ Seahawks (Week 6) – Our beloved legend, Kenneth Bernard Wright Jr. accepted a job with the hated Niners when the Seahawks declined to hire him. He said, this isn’t some revenge thing… yes, it is K.J. we can see right through the high-road talk so go on and try to prove what you need to prove big fella. May the Niners do terribly as a team (so Seattle can avenge a season sweep last year), but Wright’s coaching job allow him to get hired in a few years as a coach for SEATTLE (where he belongs).

7. Seahawks, Geno Smith / Leonard Williams / Tariq Woolen vs. Jets, D.J. Reed / Sauce Gardner (Week 13) – Geno and Williams both face former teams that got rid of them, while D.J. Reed is in the very same position on the other side. He absolutely is out to prove something against the Seahawks each and every time out. Meanwhile, the real battle may be centered around the ongoing debate about if Riq the Freak should’ve won DROY over Sauce after the 2022 season. There’s probably also still a little residual hate for the Hawks in the heart of Aaron Rodgers, marinating from his epic battles with the L.O.B. when he was with the Packers.

6. Chiefs, Hollywood Brown vs. Ravens (Week 1) – The very first game of the season is going to hit like processed sugar at an 8-year old’s birthday party. Baltimore was having a magical season, with DC, Mike Macdonald leading the top defense in the league, and Lamar tearing it up on offense to win a 2nd MVP title. The Chiefs knocked them off in an upset in the AFC ‘ship, and Kansas City went on to win the title that matters most: a Lombardi trophy Brown is happy about his escape from Baltimore, but the Ravens now have a Derrick Henry.

5. Chiefs @ 49ers (Week 7) – The team in Santa Clara lost two Super Bowls in four years to the same team… Youch! This includes the first ever Super Bowl to go to OT, just 3 months ago! Talk about heartbreak. This is a new season, and a chance to get up off the mat and exorcise some demons.

4. Lions @ 49ers (Week 17) – The Lions get to face the team that killed the wave of feverish, boundless optimism in Detroit. It was a bitter defeat at the hands of the 49ers after Detroit took a 24-7 lead in an NFC Championship game that had them dreaming of the Super Bowl (a place no Lions has ever been). You should’ve heard the crowd at the draft whenever any Niner stepped to the mic Yeah there’s some scorn in there.

3. Texans, Stefon Diggs @ Vikings (Week 3), vs. Bills (Week 5) – Here’s a 2-for-1 deal for ya’ll! Diggs may have had falling outs with two teams in his career, being traded twice despite his incredible talents. He may still have feelings about Minnesota, but his most recent exit from Buffalo might still be hurting. Look for him to come out with some competitive fire.

2. Eagles, Saquon Barkley @ Giants (Week 7) – Barkley heads back to Pennsylvania by joining a division rival, and everyone (including Tiki Barber) had something to say about it. It all felt a little personal, especially after the Giants repeatedly refused to pay him, choosing instead to pay one Daniel Jones. Saquon’s daughter dealt the most crushing blow, by saying, “Daddy, does this mean we are gonna win now?” HOO BOY, this is gonna get New York fans’ (assuredly the most reasonable fan base… right?) blood boiling.

1. Steelers, Russell Wilson @ Broncos (Week 2) – Now THIS is what we’re talking about people! Denver is deciding to pay Wilson $85M to not play for them, after trading the aforementioned king’s ransom, then subsequently casting him aside like trash. You know Russell will be motivated to show that he isn’t washed, and most of all to save his legacy. Sean Payton embarrassed and wrested control of the organization from RW3. This will be a fascinating game, and possibly one of the most memorable of the season.

Honorable Mention:
Vikings, Dallas Turner & J.J. McCarthy vs. Falcons, Cousins (Week 14) – Look, these are rookies, so they may not have a whole lot of spite in their hearts yet. But how about a chip on the shoulder? Turner was widely being mocked as the pass rusher (and defender, in general) off the board in the 2024 NFL Draft… but he watched as a record, 14 consecutive offensive players were selected. Then a different dude was taken by the Colts at 15. McCarthy may have something to prove for all who doubted him, desiring to get in on the action against a team who surprisingly took Michael Penix Jr. at QB. Of course, Captain Kirk will be motivated to show the Vikings that they should’ve given him a deal that would’ve kept him in purple.

Taking time to examine his new contract: it is for ~$1.2M, which will (barring injury) make him almost automatically one of the best values for a quarterback contract in the league. This is a low-risk gamble by general manager, Omar Khan and head coach, Mike Tomlin. What’s even more interesting is, look at where Wilson chose to go…

Russ could’ve gone to Atlanta, with an offensive coaching staff that comes from McVay’s innovative Rams attack. They’ll throw the ball a bit to ease everyone’s concerns about leveraging Drake London and Kyle Pitts. He could’ve held out for the Minnesota job, where talented names such as Hockenson, Jefferson and Addison reside.

Wilson could’ve even hitched on with the New York Giants who may draft a top WR after taking a WR in the top-3 rounds each of the last two years. They also have an up-and-coming offensive coordinator in Mike Kafka, who added assistant head coach to his title and may look to convert to a more pass-centric attack after losing Saquon Barkley. How about Las Vegas, where he could’ve gotten revenge on the Broncos while throwing to Davante Adams, Tre Tucker and mayyybe B.A.

It’s telling that RW3 chose (in some sense of the word) Pittsburgh. Tough and gritty, blue-collar Pittsburgh (Yes, THAT one Kyle Brandt! I think he fits better in Pittsburgh than in Denver). Those boys stay with a tough defense and a physical run game as their calling cards.

Those descriptions sound eerily similar to Seattle under Pete Carroll?? *except the PNW has whitened its collars with the waves of tech bros*.

Russell Wilson was a game manager early in his career, then reached a point where he came into his own as a downfield passer, captured a celebrity girlfriend who became his wife, was getting yearly MVP hype and was seen as an underappreciated player who he carried the Hawks on his back at times after the Legion of Boom. Did he reach a point where he felt that he outgrew Seattle’s old school, ball control ways under Pete Carroll?

Apparently, he wanted Pete and John fired, and for offensive guru, Sean Payton to be installed in Seattle. Wilson believed Seattle should be more aggressive in throwing the ball more (I can’t find the quote at the moment but leave a comment if you can track it down), and even convinced Greg Olson (who I have mild distain for) of that too.

NOW HE’S GOING BACK to a defensive head coach who likes to run the ball!! His offensive coordinator will be Arthur Smith: he who gained fame off of an offense featuring Derrick Henry as its cornerstone in Tennessee, then drafted Bijan Robinson to join a previous 1K-yard rushing rookie (Tyler Allgeier) in Atlanta.

The Steelers will be running the HELL outta that rock! Looks like Wilson has humbled himself after being cut for possibly the first time in his life? He took the veteran minimum salary (even though he’s still swimming in money like Scrooge McDuck).

It will be fascinating to see if his once perhaps Hall-of-Fame-worthy trajectory can get back on track with a formula that helped him dazzle in the first place. This move gives the vibe that Wilson was (understandably) humbled by his experience in Denver and will do whatever it takes to bounce back.

I don’t like the Steelers as a team, but I do respect Tomlin and the organization. Do you know that Wilson was the most sacked QB in the NFL over the last two years in Denver?!

Pittsburgh has a shot to take a bookend offensive tackle (Amarius Mims anyone?) on the other side of Broderick Jones in this year’s draft to insulate Russ. George Pickens is also an elite deep threat (league-high 18.1 yards per catch)… DangeRuss’ specialty. The Steelers were a playoff team last year, and they feel this move could help them improve after ranking 28th in scoring offense last year.

Now that Russell Wilson is no longer in Denver, learning that the grass is not always greener, I find myself rooting for him again. Seattle got the bag from the Broncos, now I can stop maniacally cheering on their downfall. That’s how it shakes, right?

Wilson is a Seattle legend who had an acrimonious exit… but I’d like to see him turn the end of his career back around and make us proud. He did finish with the 7th-highest QB Rating in the league through week 17 (I threw out week 18, since handfuls of starters rested for the playoffs), so there is hope of the presence of gas left in his tank.

I’m also all for the levels of pettiness and now want to see Russell Wilson stick one up (figuratively… I guess) in the general direction of Sean Payton. Love that the Broncos will be paying Mr. Unlimited $38M to play for a different team.

To answer your next question: NO, incumbent QB, Kenny Pickett is not winning the starting job over a 9x Pro Bowler. My man couldn’t even beat out Mason Rudolph! K.P. has thrown for multiple TDs in a game ONCE in 2 years.

Of course, you can always harbor a grudge and root against Russ. That’s part of what makes sports so great.

The story of the season very well may be Russell Wilson at the peak of his powers, cooking like we’ve never seen before. He had 5 passing tuddies on Sunday. He’s the leading man in a premature MVP race, and being discussed on every talk show with regards to who sits on the QB throne at the moment. He deserves it, as he’s been consistently great for us. We almost expect his greatness and wizardry at this point, but it should not be taken for granted.

The defense also made quite the impressive goal line stand, stuffing the prolific and highly impressive Cam Newton (who has shut a lot of ya’ll up) from doing what he has done so many times. I’m hoping that this is the beginning of a little swag to L.J. Collier’s game (he also batted one of Cam Newton’s passes at the line). Hopefully now he knows that he can play with the big boys.

You know who already knew that before the rest of America did? D.K. Metcalf. Not only did he make it rough on an elite cornerback in Stephon Gilmore, but he took the physicality straight to his throat! Metcalf dominated the reigning Defensive Player of the Year with 4 catches for 92 yards and a 54 yard TD with said player draped all over his back. This was a lockdown corner, and both D.K. and Russ went right at him. That’s the level of confidence they have in each other.

Does everybody understand that D.K. Metcalf went super saiyan? Gilmore was getting manhandled and straight bullied out there!! Some will talk about that 160-yard explosion in Philly in the playoffs last year being his breakout game… but against the Patriots, D.K. announced to the world that he’s just heating up. If you think that cornerbacks, safeties and defensive coordinators around the league didn’t watch in awe, and that it’ll change how they defend us, then its time to wake up. Metcalf is a problem. The best of the best became a speed bump in his path. When asked about the matchup and how it seemed that Metcalf got the better of him, Stephon Gilmore replied: “Russell Wilson is a great quarterback” ().

D.K. Metcalf is a taller, heavier AND faster Terrell Owens. Now, T.O. is a hall of famer, and one of the top 5 most prolific receivers ever, so don’t get it twisted… but I’m just sayin’, these are the type of tools that D.K. is working with. He’s no longer some prospect to watch. He proved himself to be a weapon who can dominate whoever, whenever. Should we start calling him Baby T.O.?

Can’t wait to see what else Russell and D.K. cook up together this season. That will be an enjoyable side quest to this season. Having a legitimate threat, such as Metcalf, changes the complexion and play calling of the Hawks’ O. He is also starving to get his respect, and I’m here for allahdat.

Pete said in a recent interview on KJR: “I’ve had the good fortune of coaching some really good safeties over the years and there’s reason to believe that this guy can do just about anything the other guys have ever done”. That list of great safeties includes Polamalu, Chancellor and Thomas III. If that is true… WOW.

I’ve mentioned before that there is generally a 50% hit rate on 1st round draft picks. Half of them work out, and the other half don’t. How many of those become 1st team All-Pros at their position? Even less. Combining this notion with a look back at the track record of the Seattle Seahawks’ recent 1st round draft picks: a bird in the hand. An unfortunate reality that is also part of this whole deal is the instability of next year’s draft due to COVID related college football cancellations. We won’t get the chance to see, scout and evaluate the top prospects in next year’s draft in the same way as usual.

If you can recall, the Jets’ division rival Dolphins wanted their GM fired (Fireland) because of not having the huevos to make big moves. Seattle is the exact opposite. Pete Carroll and John Schneider are going for gold and aggressively reimagining their defense the way they want it. Getting Quinton Dunbar, who was graded as the 2nd best corner in the NFL last season by Pro Football Focus, from the Football Team is another thing to be hyped about. We got a lockdown corner instead of a locked up corner. We’ve now got Quandre Diggs (a pro bowler and former Lions team captain) and Jamal Adams (with his All-Pro talents) at safety. We’ve got Shaquill Griffin (another pro bowler) and Dunbar (with his aforementioned PFF grades) at corner, with Tre Flowers and Ugo Amadi having solid starting experience at outside and slot corner (respectively) coming off the bench. Marquise Blair has been impressing as a 2nd round safety converting to slot. This has transformed into a pretty legit secondary.

I imagined a different route to a defensive resurgence, but hey, this front office has earned my trust. Pete wants to stop deep plays, keep everything in front of them with the safeties, freeing up the corners to jam receivers at the line and make aggressive plays to hit ball carriers immediately and create turnovers. That’s his defensive philosophy. Single-high safety (Quandre) cover 3 scheme allowed for more playmakers in the box (that will be Jamal). This defensive framework has led to unprecedented prosperity in the PNW, so we need to ride with our guy while we still have him. Fingers crossed that the young guys can step up to create a pass rush.

It looks like the Hawks will ride with Rasheem Green + L.J.Collier (last year’s 1st round pick who didn’t play) at strong-side defensive end, and possibly kick inside on pass rushing downs. Across the formation, a combo of Bruce Irvin, Benson Mayowa and rookies Darrell Taylor and Alton Robinson will hold down the fort as Leo Edge Rushers, and double up when the strong-side guys move inside. While I’m nervous about this pass rush rotation and it’s lack of a menacing presence, a la Jadeveon Clowney, let’s not overlook the fact that Adams is cheaper this year than McDougald would’ve been (!). That frees up some space to potentially trade (before the season or during) for a player that may come available or who fits a screaming need. Will that be O-line? Will that be pass rush (DE’s or DT’s such as Snacks Harrison & Marcell Dareus)? We can wait to see if Clowney would take $8-12M to chase a trophy… if not, go get someone else. I hate to say it, but if Jordyn Brooks (this year’s surprise 1st round pick) comes along in his development at linebacker, our guy K.J. Wright could be a trade piece that we move during the season to acquire another player/free up cap space. Pete and John are great at evaluating in-season.

The final piece of this is that we not only prevented the fellow NFC-contending Cowboys from unleashing Jamal Adams, but we also successfully stopped the Niners (who we should have a healthy, begrudging respect for) from getting Adams and creating their own version of a neo-L.O.B. PHEW. When you are as consistently good as the Hawks have been, roster construction isn’t just about your team, but also about how you match up with other good teams in your conference. We now have a player that can confidently match up with George Kittle. Remember when Kam Chancellor struck fear into the hearts of the frontrunning Niners and their beast of a tight end a few years back? That helped to usher in a near decade of Seahawks dominance in the NFC West. When you see a bad dude get punked by an even badder dude, it changes the whole tone of the contest. Guys feed off of that energy. Jamal Adams plays the same position, and has the ability to rival Kam’s exploits… no cap.

Now, there could be an acclimation period, with no rookie camp, team minicamps, OTA’s, preseason or extended training camp this year for our defense to get on the same page. Either way, Pete and John have infused talent and energy into this entire team. No risk-it, no biscuit. Jamal Adams could very well be a culture-shifting game-wrecker all over the field who helps to galvanize this defense. We just brought another serious piece with a dawg mentality to the fight because Pete and John play to win. Is it possible that someday when we look back at Pete Carroll’s legacy in Seattle, that we’ll talk about the old and new testaments of the L.O.B.?? We can only hope that our defense lives up to all of its potential. Pete always gives us a swinging chance to be great. Russ is ready and just hitting his prime. If we can win the division, our team has the swagger and the magic to make it to another Super Bowl. I said it. I’m talkin’ really big rings.

The truth is, unless you share similar experiences to, or an affinity for that specific culture, you may not be quite as excited as this particular individual who thought it was a worthy enough fact to interrupt the paid entertainment with. We can all, however, be appreciative of being able to witness someone filled with pride, that another person who shares characteristics similar to their own can be successful.

An inability to understand the scenario described above is actually a matter of privilege. Privilege, in itself, is not an inherently bad thing… but it can be a very large hindrance to your ability to see the perspective of others. Let’s examine.

I myself, am partl black, and I have a friend who is white. I actually have quite a few friends who are white; but this particular Caucasian kemosabe in question grew up in an extremely white part of his city. In fact, in college, he told me that I was his very first black friend or acquaintance. I felt somewhat honored that I got to break him in, and joked that I hope I don’t mess it up for all the rest. To say the least, my friend and I were raised in very different cultures, but we both ended up teaching each other a lot. We built a lot of trust, and had some very insightful and incisive conversations. We both introduced each other to different things that we loved (movies, music, food, hobbies), and had some real Remember the Titans moments.

My friend and I loved to watch and play sports together, united by our love for competition as well as for the Seattle Seahawks. I’ll never forget one day him stopping me, and saying, “Hey, I notice you cheer specifically for all of the black quarterbacks to succeed, and make it a big deal about their race… why don’t you do that for all of the white ones as well?” He even seemed a little annoyed by it. If it was anyone else, I may have been offended by the question. Coming from this guy, I knew it was coming from a place of naiveté. Our conversation also made me realize that the “societal majority” doesn’t usually share the same understanding of kinship that we as minorities in American society feel with each other. Why is it that Koreans moms (according to a good friend) who don’t know each other, can easily strike up conversation like old friends in public? How do you explain ‘the nod’ that many of us black men give each other (which I remember observing from my father from a young age)? He genuinely didn’t get it.

I explained to him some of the reasons why I love to see black quarterbacks succeed after a history of being shut out of that role on the team. I’ve written previously about how blacks were not even considered intellectually capable of even being able to play the position. Whenever I see a black quarterback excelling at quarterback, that feels like a win for society and social progress to me! He never felt this sort of a kinship and hope for success for white quarterbacks, because he never lacked for representation in that arena. He never had to think twice about whether or not there were any that were capable of succeeding! White quarterbacks have never been doubted solely because of their skin tone.

So many minority groups have given undying support to such celebrities as Jackie Robinson, Manny Pacquiao, Jeremy Lin, Conor McGregor, Jackie Chan, Canelo Álvarez, Tiger Woods, Shakira, The Rock, Yao Ming, heck… even Eminem can (somewhat) be included in this discussion! Whenever an individual who isn’t a part of the majority finds notoriety, it becomes noteworthy. Those of us who identify with them feel a sense of endearment to them. Witnessing them being able to hold a measure of power, voice and influence that our group does not usually hold is a feeling that cannot be explained.

This is also a reason why I reluctantly included Eminem in the above examples. Although it cannot fully extend as an example, since white males are the majority in America, the subject of Slim Shady may be one of the closest where white people may be able to (even in a tiny, tiny way) understand this feeling of minority kinship. Em has been rightly celebrated for his unapologetically gritty demeanor, deep rhymes, and constant F-you attitude towards the world. White people really did rally to embrace his whole persona in rap. Black listeners, and fellow collaborators liked him too. White people could be born in rough neighborhoods, rely on a gangster mentality and spit bars too! They finally weren’t precluded (or billed as a gimmick) because of their race! He may not have been my idol, but that did seem cool to me.

This is why we all care about seeing a person that we relate to succeed where others traditionally haven’t. It is an even more amplified and unexplainable feeling for us as minorities because of complicated issues such as westernized standards of success and beauty in American society, and things like homophily. Each achievement can feel like a shattering of a glass ceiling and a removal of any real or implied cap on our potential.

All of this is why it has been a joy to watch black quarterbacks in 2019 shattering all kinds of barriers. This is truly the golden age of black quarterbacking! It isn’t that I root against white quarterbacks… When the Seattle Seahawks acquired Matt Flynn in 2013, I hoped with everything in me that he would turn out to be the greatest QB to ever live! Brett Favre is one of my favorites of all time. I could go down the list talking about great white quarterbacks that I’ve admired and continue to root for. But there is something special about seeing athletes that look like me (just a little more in shape) reach those heights as well.

Let’s celebrate together! Starting with my hometown team, it is pretty special that Russell Wilson, a black quarterback, became the highest paid player in NFL history this past summer. Other’s have gotten paid since, but can you imagine how crazy it must be to witness for those who have lived in a world where African Americans were paid peanuts (if that) compared to white men?? That world wasn’t too long ago to be honest with you. Wilson is a perennial MVP candidate, owns tremendous mental toughness, has a black backup quarterback in Geno Smith, and is generally a standup guy and great example in numerous ways.

Of course, Lamar Jackson has been transcendent, and has rivaled Wilson in a spectacular battle for the Most Valuable Player award in 2019. Lamar is a true weapon at the position and has the ability to wreck the league and change the game going forward. People doubted whether or not he could be a functional NFL quarterback, and some even heavily suggested that he would need to switch positions to find success in this league. Jackson has proven himself with a vengeance, while justifying any and all comparisons to dual-threat godfather, Michael Vick in the process.

How can we forget about Patrick Mahomes! He is a young prodigy at the position, and the defending league MVP as a black quarterback. Mahomes’ offensive output in 2018 was prolific, and if he is back for the playoffs this year, Kansas City has to be seen as a threat to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. He has the potential to break a lot of passing records in this league.

There is a very good chance that a black quarterback wins MVP of the NFL this season. The top 3 MVP candidates coming into Week 11 were all black quarterbacks (Jackson, Wilson and Houston’s Deshaun Watson). Let that sink in… that means that we’d have back-to-back different black quarterbacks win the league’s highest honor. In that scenario, 3 of the last 5 MVP’s (Cam Newton won in 2015 while carrying his team’s offense) will be different black quarterbacks! How about the fact that in 2019 so far, the top 5 quarterbacks in QBR (Total Quarterback Rating) are all African American! Of the top 10 QB’s in passing touchdowns, 6 of them are black!

A great take I heard from Max Kellerman (of all people), is that the fact that there are black quarterbacks in starting positions that represent different points on the talent spectrum is one of the biggest signs that there has been progress. No longer does a black QB have to be undeniably great to even get a shot. We have the legends above, as well as mid-tier and even low-tier guys (guys like Geno Smith come to mind) and backups (Tyrod Taylor). Will we even get the chance for Colin Kaepernick to rightfully earn a QB job in the league after all that has been said and done? I don’t know the answer to that, but there are plenty of guys showing us that anything is possible.

Dak Prescott leads the league in passing yards, and is the quarterback of “America’s Team” in Dallas. Jameis Winston is second in the league in passing yards, and has been afforded many chances in Tampa Bay to prove that he can lead his team. Dwayne Haskins is a first round rookie and potential heir to the throne in D.C. who has been named the starter for the rest of the season. Teddy Bridgewater aggressively pursued a 2-year comeback from a horrific, life-threatening leg injury to go 5-0 in Drew Brees’ stead while throwing for 9 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Jacoby Brissett has had the chance to pilot the Indianapolis Colts as the unquestioned starter after Andrew Luck’s shocking retirement and a lackluster first year with the team. He is doing quite well, with a nearly 100-level Quarterback Rating. The #1 pick in this year’s draft was Kyler Murray, an explosive athlete with elite potential.

All of this needs to be seen as a win for us all. I have personally been inspired by how these men have gone against the grain to thrive at the highest level. Nobody is excluded from lauding those who blaze trails, open up possibilities and help others to feel included. We will always have doubters that point out things to try to disqualify us. I hope that none of us, regardless of what we look like and where we come from, are mentally bound by what others see as limitations. Black quarterbacks have never been in a more powerful position in the National Football League. What a way to celebrate the 100th season of operation. Oh, and a white guy leads the league in rushing…