ESPN’s Kellerman: ‘Racist Ideas’ Keep Black Men from Being Quarterbacks in the NFL

Wednesday on ESPN’s “First Take,” co-host Max Kellerman weighed in on the prospect of Baltimore Ravens first-round selection Lamar Jackson, the 2016 Heisman-winner as a quarterback, playing in a slash position with incumbent starter Joe Flacco still at quarterback.

While Kellerman said he liked the idea of the Ravens getting Jackson on the field however they can, he argued it touches on the issue of the NFL and country’s problem with black leadership.

“I like it,” said Kellerman. “And I know when I say that, there is the ever-present issue of the fact that in this country, as Warren Moon can tell you, in the NFL, they have forever been trying to turn African-American quarterbacks into other players, not quarterbacks and to shift them to other positions because of, you know, racist ideas about, certainly at least racial, but I would say racist ideas about leadership and all kinds of other made-up nonsense — and also maybe just the idea that a black man in that position is in a high-profile position, and we know the history of this country and of the league, culturally, has been very bad about this issue oftentimes. So, I realize when I say I like Lamar Jackson lining up at other positions that that is fraught because it touches on those issues.”

Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent

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