How big a deal was it when Doug Williams won the Super Bowl?

[Art Monk 4 HOF]

I'm curious, I was pretty young at the time and didn't really understand the significance of a black QB winning a Super Bowl. Was it overhyped, do you think, did it feel like a historic event to see him win it? What were your thoughts that night? How special was it to you?

[RaleighSkinsMann]

I'm only two years older than you but i remeber it and it changed the way teams looked at the qb position for black people.....

[ouvan59]

I actually don't think it was overhyped at all. It was a pretty big deal but TO and McNabb got more ink this week than Doug did at the time.

[Park City Skins]

Tough one. I thought that it was a bit over-hyped, but understand that it was an unfortunate, but timely overhyped situation. Unfortunate that it seemed like it needed to be done and timely because it was in fact a first. For me personally, I was happy for Doug Williams the man and don't remember once thinking about the color thing. Of course, I had been a fan of Doug's since his early Tampa Days.

[ahhyeaa]

I don't think it was that big of a deal as the black white thing goes. I remember the game more for the way we won it. Denver jumped out on us early and it looked like we were in big trouble then we just blew them away. I think we scored 28 pts in the 2nd quarter. I have still yet to see a game with such a big swing as that game.

[Redskins Diehard]

How long had Doug Williams been a black quarterback before he won that game?? His whole life!!


I do remember there being attention paid to it, but not to the level of being overvhyped. And on the grand scheme of things, I don't think it was that big of a deal.

I remember wanting the qb of the Redskins to have a good game. That is the great thing about team sports.

[dieneverfan]

i was 14 at the time and all it was to me was that the redskins won the super bowl not one black qb

[Dalecitymike]

I honestly thought the media's attention was directed more towards the up and coming QB Elway. Considering the fact that the race barrier was broken with Doug Williams win it should've got more attention. It was such a great game. He lit up the score board with the Posse! Timmy Smith had a good game too! Oh the good old days please let them return this season! Yes SuperBowl or BUST!

[SUNSTONE]

It wasn't a big deal. In fact we were predicted to lose that game.

[zallera]

I was only 8 years old, so I had no idea of the significance. Black or white, it didn't matter to me, I just wanted to see us win.

[LD0506]

Some in the media tried to make it big issue but DW had a genuinely understated class and poise about him and honestly took it all with great humor. Personally, I loved seeing the guy get that shot after the truly horrible way he was treated in Tampa. He made the most of the opportunity and then took what came after with the same character, just a helluva man. Black-white-plaid- that was the real story there.

[The Bounty Hunter #21]

well i was barely alive when we won the SB in 87'...in my opinion when Doug Williams won that SB, and became MVP, he changed the whole landscape for african american athletes...he was and is the only african american QB to actually win a SB and be MVP...

[Kosher Ham]

Its funny, I could ask every person on this board who their favorite current Redskins player is and I feel that most would say a black player.

I wasnt raised to give a damn about that type of stuff.

I remember the hype being after the game, not prior to it.

I dont think that most of the media even realized that a black QB was getting a chance to win one. And it wouldnt have really been an appropriate subject either way.

I dont see colors, I see people. Some are worthless pieces of crap, others mold the society we live in and have purpose.

I think I am going to have to take a peek at those highlights later on today.

[Pete]

I remember it being hyped pretty big in the North East. I even remember talk that the big fix was in for the Skins to win, being the league wanted a black QB to make the ultitmate grade.

I couldn't care less if BB the wonder chicken was at QB, as long as we won. I was at a big party that day, and some of the comments passed had me to the point of walking out. There were lots of folks who took it for what it was, a first in the NFL. Many others put the racial spin on it in every way they could.

[Blondie]

Is he now the defensive captain?


I don't know if he is the permanent captain. We'll see after Sunday's game.

In the south.......many things were said.........and especially here in Dallas.

Didn't matter to me.

The Redskins are Burgandy and Gold.

I wish people would look at it that way.

Blondie

[Khun Kao]

I think we scored 28 pts in the 2nd quarter.

Actually, it was 35 pts. 4 passing TD's and 1 rushing....

[BigRay]

I was 25 at the time for me it was a big deal being african-american myself I was so sick and tired of hearing that an african -american quarterback couldn't take his team or win the superbowl so this was a blessing to me.

[JimmiJo]

I'm curious, I was pretty young at the time and didn't really understand the significance of a black QB winning a Super Bowl. Was it overhyped, do you think, did it feel like a historic event to see him win it? What were your thoughts that night? How special was it to you?

Dude, you cannot imagine how big a deal it was. The 'Skins went down 10-0 and it seemed like Denver was starting to roll. I had a SB party at my apartment in NW at the time and everyone it seemed was starting to get bummed out. I had a feeling though that we would be fine, and kept telling my guests so.

Sure enough, shortly thereafter it the scoring started, and would not stop it seemed.

It was a huge deal to score 5 TDs in one quarter in the SB. Williams was celebrated for that, but the media really loved it because he was the first black QB to win a SB.

It was a big deal, and my favorite SB year (I still can't believe Gibbs stuck with Schroeder for so long!). I was lucky enough to see them beat the Giants during the season and beat the Rams in the playoffs at RFK.

[AJ_Skins]

I don't remember much talk about at all. It was basically treated as a minor novelty. I have the game on tape, and I don't think it was mentioned during the broadcast once, except maybe as a side remark at the end of the game. They may have asked Williams something like "how does it feel" at the end.

Mainly I think it was because it didn't seem like a big deal to most people, and I think it was also partly because Williams was sort of an aging role player instead of a big star in the league. Maybe they would have made more out of it if it had been Randall Cunningham. Don't know.

The media has definitely changed since then, though. I think if it happened now it would be the only thing they talked about, the game would have been irrelevant, and every talking head, commentator and sportswriter would be rooting for him to win. It's a product of the generation from which most of the media comes these days. They're morons.

[36HAMMER]

I remeber the dumbest question i have eveer heard being asked, "How does it feel to be a black qb?"

[TheGreek1973]

Not only it was huge to have Doug win it as the first black QB but the way he won it...getting the MVP and just having a sick quarter that will probably never be duplicated. I mean that team just killed the Donkies that second quarter and then adding more insult an unknown back got the SB rushing record. LMAO

I will never forget that game because of two things. The way we beat them and the fact that I had a way to go to the SB but couldn't because I was up to butt wth two major projects to finish my degree.

[SonnyRules]

Tough one. I thought that it was a bit over-hyped, but understand that it was an unfortunate, but timely overhyped situation. Unfortunate that it seemed like it needed to be done and timely because it was in fact a first. For me personally, I was happy for Doug Williams the man and don't remember once thinking about the color thing. Of course, I had been a fan of Doug's since his early Tampa Days.

PCS, I agree with you completely.

I remember pulling for the Redskin quarterback....color was never an issue.

[awd_sr]

no, I think that dumb question was "Doug, how long have you been a Black QB?" . That showed the ignorance of some people at that time. Doug not only starting at Qb in the SB, but winning MVP in stellar fashion was HUGE, not overhyped. Locally I dont think his race was a big deal because we all were pulling for whoever wore that burgundy and gold. But maybe on a national level the significance was easier to see because non-Skins fans dont have the emotional attachment to the team like we do.

Doug QBing the Skins to that come from behind victory after getting injured was huge. Up to that point, it was uncommon for Black QBs to get their shot. Black QBs were drafted and switched to other positions more back then then today, and Doug helped open America's eyes that the QB position too should be open to all. Now, maybe the job that being done in Indy will do the same for head coaching positions...

[betsy thurman]

i remember that Super Bowl game very clearly - I was in a sports bar with ALL Broncos I took more sh** that first quarter than you can believe, but then of course the tables were turned , what a game -- Doug was great and Timmy could do no wrong!! I have never been louder and prouder - I spent quite a bit of time on the tables just to make sure everyone saw my jersey!! :laugh: :laugh: What a game - what a night!!! Doug was black? damn all I saw was burgundy and gold!! :D :D :laugh: :laugh:

[FranklinNoble]

It was a big deal, and I think a lot of folks here either don't remember, or are too young to remember, the true significance of Doug Williams winning the Super Bowl, and the MVP, with the Washington Redskins.

George Preston Marshall, the founding owner of the Redskins, was a racist. Even when the rest of the league had integrated, Marshall sacrificed a huge competitive advantage by refusing to have any black players on his team. It was not until he was FORCED to integrate that he signed the team's first black player (quiz - who was it?)

Needless to say, the Redskins play in a region with a significant black population, and this historical truth created a rift between the team and that segment of the community even long after Marshall was dead. It was not until Doug Williams won the Super Bowl that many of the "old-timers" finally forgave the team's sins of the past.

That game meant more than just another trophy.

[redskins55]

I'm curious, I was pretty young at the time and didn't really understand the significance of a black QB winning a Super Bowl. Was it overhyped, do you think, did it feel like a historic event to see him win it? What were your thoughts that night? How special was it to you?


It was a very big momment in the NFL, but an even bigger momment in the black community. So big in fact that Die Hard Cowboy fans were cheering for the Redskins to beat the Broncos. Even some Tampa Bay fans were converted into Redskins after they saw their former star QB win the SuperBowl with another team. Similar to the modern day Mark Brunell story, there will be alot of Redskin fans in Jacksonville if Mark takes us to the Super Bowl. ;)

But I can remember watching that game and was amazed when he kept throwing beautiful arching passes to Clark and Sanders. I knew right then that I wanted to be a Washington Redskins fan.

The previous post by FranklinNoble is correct in noting that alot of people never backed the skins after they wouldnt intergrate the team. Thats a big reason why there are so many Dallas Cowboy fans in D.C now!

But, the impact of that momment would be revealed in later years as teams now view black QB's as proven winners and viable athletes at the Quarterback position.

[LeesburgSkinFan]

Who remembers the SNL the night before that Super Bowl? Carl Weathers portrayed Doug Williams a skit with Kevin Nealon as Brent Musberger and Phil Hartman as Jimmy the Greek.

[cyfar]

It was not until he was FORCED to integrate that he signed the team's first black player (quiz - who was it?)

Bobby Mitchell?

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I remember that game vividly. It was my 8th birthday and that was the first year I followed the Skins(or NFL football) from preseason to finish. I do remember looking around the league(of all the teams the Skins played that year) and noticing that we were the only team that had a black QB. When he won the bowl it was a really big deal to me and my friends in DC. I remember everyone sporting those white sweatshirts with Doug on the front. It was a big deal in DC, but I don't remember it getting a lot of press on the local media circuit.

[FunBunch7]

I think it was also very signifigant that Joe Gibbs "turned" over the team to Doug Williams at the end of the season. I rememebr it like it was yesterday...

In the season finale at Minnesota, Jay Schroder was struggling and Joe Gibbs gave him the hook and Doug cane in and led us to an overtime win. Then, Joe Gibbs announced that DW would be the starter for the playoffs.

We cam from 14-0 down to win in Chicago...(Darrell Green jumping over Cap Bosso on the 52 yard punt return for a TD highlighted the game)...then we beat the Vikings 17-10.

Then we go to San Diego to play Denver and all the hype was on them having lost the year before and I think we were 3 points under dogs. The rest is history.

But it's not like we started the season with a black starting QB and he led us the whole way...It was a great leap of faith for Gibbs to hand the keys to the cadilac to DW.

[DCMONEY]

It was big because the Skins won the Superbowl and because a black QB had never had the oppurtunity. The feat woulda been accomplished long ago had people of color been given the oppurtunity. Great day though. I remember Cowbum fans in my family talking smack in that 1st quarter. But when that 2nd quarter was started. It was on.