On January 31, 1988, in San Diego, California, Doug Williams of the Washington Redskins became the first African American quarterback to start and win a super bowl!
He stunned the world COMPLETELY out preforming the great John Elway by scoring 42 unanswered points for the win… pic.twitter.com/rpHnqjU3Cq
— Faithful Black Men Association (@OfficialFBMA) January 31, 2021
On this day in 1988, Washington quarterback Doug Williams made history that would change the landscape of the NFL for the rest of eternity. With an otherwordly performance in Super Bowl XXII, Williams became the first Black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl in the NFL, defeating the Denver Broncos, 42-10.
It was a surprising outcome to some, considering that the Broncos were favored entering the game, but after falling behind 10-0 early on, Williams helped the team rattle off 42 unanswered points, scoring 35 points in the second quarter and running away with the sweet victory. It was the franchise’s second Super Bowl victory.
Williams put on an incredible performance, accounting for four of Washington’s five touchdowns in the game, all of which came in the first half. He finished throwing 18-for-29 with 340 yards, 4 TD, and 1 INT. RB Timmy Smith added 204 yards on the ground, with 2 TD, while WR Ricky Sanders had 9 catches for 193 yards and 2 TDs as well.
Today, Williams remains with the team, and he serves as the Senior Vice President of Player Development, helping to transition players into the league. No matter what he does with the team going forward, he will always be remembered fondly for his historic acts on this day, 33 years ago.
