When you’re the best in the business, people try to tear you down.
During a training camp press conference on Friday, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes shared his thoughts on recent criticisms of his game — specifically from a racial angle.
Earlier this week, a quote from an anonymous NFL defensive coordinator went viral. In this quote, the unnamed coach criticized Mahomes for his “streetball” style of play.”
“It’s kinda weird when guys like me, Kyler and Lamar get [criticism] when other guys don’t,” he said. “But we’re gonna go out there and prove ourselves everyday.”
This is not a new observation from the former league MVP. Racial bias in football — specifically at the quarterback position — has been around for decades.
What was once a predominantly-white position now closer reflects the percentage of Black players in the league. At the start of the 2020 season, a record 10 African American quarterbacks held QB1 jobs — including Mahomes, Murray and Jackson.
Because these three superstar quarterbacks don’t fit the old “prototypical QB” mold, they seem to be held to a higher standard by critics around the league. As the old saying goes, “Black Americans have to work twice as hard to get half as far.”
As unfair as these criticisms may be, Mahomes and the rest of his Black quarterback colleagues will continue to prove they deserve their spot at the table.