“I Wasn’t Confident”: Michael Vick Reflects on the Challenges of Playing Quarterback as a Black Athlete

23 years ago, Michael Vick became the first African-American quarterback to be drafted by the league as the first overall pick. Two decades later, he has now taken the initiative to narrate the untold stories of NFL’s Black quarterbacks through his ten-part docuseries, ‘Evolution of the Black Quarterback.’

Ahead of its premiere on September 24 exclusively on Prime Video, Vick opened up about the project in a candid interview on Good Morning America. Reflecting on his journey, he also talked about being underconfident in the QB position, which didn’t stem from his skills but from his race.

He recalled his time during high school when the Black players at the QB position were coaxed into changing positions before stepping up to play in NCAA football and subsequently the NFL. The moves were made because of sheer racial stereotypes—something that has changed significantly compared to the current landscape of the league.

Sadly, there was no exception for Vick despite having all the talent. Battling the doubt infused in the system for decades, his confidence diminished.

“We all had points in our careers where, whether you were in high school or college, you were doubted a little bit. You were told that you might have to go play a different position. Or you just weren’t confident. I wasn’t confident that I would be a quarterback as my years went on in football,” Vick reflected.

Considering all the prejudices he faced, the ‘Evolution of the Black Quarterback’ project is his mark of protest.

By interacting with current NFL stars like Patrick Mahomes and Dak Prescott, who have an African-American background, Vick wants to make the NFL audience aware of the obstacles Black QBs have overcome to be where they are today.

Switching gears, one of the highlights of the docuseries is the inclusion of legendary QB Doug Williams, who also had to break barriers to play in the position.

Vick opens up about his candid interview with Doug Williams

Williams, who led the Washington Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XXII, made history by becoming the first Black quarterback to both start and win a championship title. Vick has nothing but admiration for Williams, which was quite evident during the interview.

“You know how much of a football savant he really was. He always had the talent, but coming up in Grambling, there were all types of issues and stereotypes he had to face and overcome,” he said.

For Vick, the conversation with Williams was not just about the latter playing in the QB position; it was deeply personal.

Growing up in Newport News, Virginia, the former Atlanta Falcons QB vividly remembers Williams winning the Super Bowl on January 31, 1988, against the Broncos. As an eight-year-old, he felt confused because a Black player in the QB position was quite rare in the 80s. It only made it difficult for him to envision himself as a QB in the NFL.

Therefore, it makes sense why Vick’s latest docuseries is his dream project. All he wants to do is bring the struggles of the former Black QBS to the forefront to inspire the Gen-Z and next-generation Black quarterbacks.