Harris, James 'Shack'
1947- · Contribution: 1969
First Black quarterback to start a season opener in the AFL or NFL (1969); first to start and win an NFL playoff game, and first named Pro Bowl MVP (1974)
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
Became the first Black quarterback to start a regular-season NFL game in 1969, and later the first to start and win a playoff game, opening the path that Doug Williams and subsequent Black quarterbacks would follow nearly two decades later.
Life & background
A Louisiana native and Grambling State alumnus, Harris became the first Black quarterback to start a regular-season NFL game in 1969, later becoming the first to start and win a playoff game and earning MVP honors at the 1974 Pro Bowl. He went on to co-found the Black College Football Hall of Fame with Doug Williams in 2009.
Sources
- Pro Football Hall of Fame; Andscape; ESPN
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