Williams, Doug
1955- · Contribution: 1988
First Black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl, and to be named Super Bowl MVP
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
Led Washington to a 42-10 Super Bowl XXII victory over Denver in 1988, throwing four touchdown passes in a single quarter, an NFL record, to become both the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl and the first to be named Super Bowl MVP, despite having an emergency root canal the day before the game.
Life & background
A standout quarterback at Grambling State University under legendary coach Eddie Robinson, Williams became the first Black quarterback drafted in the first round of the NFL draft in 1978. After years with Tampa Bay and a stint in the USFL, he joined Washington and was named starter for the 1987 playoffs, leading the team to Super Bowl XXII, where he threw four touchdown passes in a single quarter, an NFL record, becoming the first Black quarterback to start and win a Super Bowl and the first to be named Super Bowl MVP. He later co-founded the Black College Football Hall of Fame and served as head coach at his alma mater, Grambling State.
Sources
- ESPN; Good Black News (BHM100)
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