During the 1900s, when the National Football League was evolving and racial segregation was deeply rooted in American culture, Fritz Pollard became both the NFL’s first Black quarterback and its first Black head coach.
Advertisement
Pollard’s path to the NFL started in Rogers Park, Illinois where he faced racism from an early age. However, his steadfast resolve and love for the sport set him apart.
During his time at Brown University, Pollard’s skills on the football field became evident. In 1916, as he led the Brown Bears to their first Rose Bowl, he became the first African-American to play the game.
Moreover, he also earned a spot on Walter Camp’s All-American team as the first Black athlete ever chosen for this honor.
In 1920, when the NFL was formed as the American Professional Football Association (APFA), gathering teams representing 14 towns, Pollard joined the Akron Pros team, which went on to win their first league championship under his leadership.
The following year, Pollard took over the team as the first black co-head coach in the NFL all while playing for his team as the running back. Two years later in 1923, while playing for Gilberton Catamounts, achieved another milestone by becoming the league’s first black QB.
But all his success fell short when it came to racial prejudices. Pollard continued to be the victim of xenophobia from rivals, fans, and even from peers.
Interestingly, Pollard’s fight was not limited to the NFL. He also worked to create all-Black teams such as the Chicago Black Hawks, a still active NHL team, and the Brown Bombers, a now-defunct baseball team.
In 1922, he also organized the All-Star Game with the goal of proving that football should welcome athletes from all racial backgrounds.
Regrettably, the doors Pollard had worked hard to open quickly shut once more in 1934. An unwritten “gentleman’s agreement” discreetly barred African Americans from the NFL until 1946. Pollard’s name, once celebrated for the revolution he brought, gradually slipped into obscurity as the league expanded.
Next, when Art Shell took over as the head coach of the Los Angeles Raiders, 43 years later, in 1989, that’s when Pollard’s contribution in the 1920s gained traction once again.
Shell, the second black head coach in NFL history gave credit to Pollard for paving the way in a sport that was mostly dominated by white players back then.
