The Apollo Theater, the historic Harlem venue known for its prominence in Black entertainment, was filled with people watching the premiere of Amazon’s new series, Evolution of the Black QB. After the first episode aired, the series photo appeared on the screen, and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts sat between former Eagles quarterback Michael Vick and series director Anthony Smith.
For a 26-year-old who is just five seasons into his career, Hurts finds himself at the center of this evolution and is one of the most prominent Black quarterbacks in the game. He already holds a 36-18 career record and was part of Super Bowl LVII, where he faced Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the first matchup between two Black quarterbacks in the game’s history. These accomplishments can be overwhelming for a player at such a young age, but Hurts embraces his role, even if he doesn’t dwell on his current standing or the history he’s already made.
“It’s something that you don’t really get to appreciate until it’s done, but I think being here is nostalgic in a sense,” Hurts told NJ Advance Media. “Being mentioned with Michael Vick, Donovan McNabb, Doug Williams, Warren Moon, and all those great guys, and being able to have relationships with Randall Cunningham, it just goes a long way to be a part of that fraternal thing that was so hard to embark on. It’s special, and it’s something that a lot of people should be proud of. I think it’s a sense of hope.”
Hurts himself is still evolving at the position. This season, he has a 70.6% completion rate, which, if the season ended today, would be the best of his career. He has also thrown three touchdowns but has four interceptions. Hurts understands he’s still working on improving as a quarterback, but he also wants to be a role model for the younger generation who aspire to follow in his footsteps.
“I just want to continue to grow,” Hurts said. “I think the beautiful thing about this game is everybody expresses themselves differently, and I have my unique way of doing that. I just want to be an example in all departments for whoever’s watching.”
The Eagles have played a significant role in this process, starting with John Walton and leading to the arrival of Randall Cunningham, Rodney Peete, Donovan McNabb, Vick, and now Hurts. Vick, who joined the Eagles in 2009 as McNabb’s backup and later became a mentor to Hurts, offered a unique perspective on the history. Hurts even admitted to owning an Eagles midnight green No. 7 jersey when Vick was the starter.
“He and the rest of the quarterbacks playing now are all right in the middle,” Vick told NJ Advance Media. “We are part of the evolution. People tell me that I changed the game, but I tell them it was the ones before me who changed the game. I’m here because I couldn’t take credit for it, and I wanted to highlight those that came before me. That’s why I’m here.”
While the first episode aired, there were cheers when players such as James “Shack” Harris and Eldridge Dickey appeared on screen, both pioneers at the position. The theater fell quiet, pierced by occasional grunts of disapproval when the stories of how the first Black quarterbacks were treated during the days of Jim Crow and the early lack of opportunities emerged. Vick noted that what those players endured paved the way for Hurts and others today.
“Some of the stories I heard from those guys were really touching,” Vick said. “I realized how fortunate I was—and we are in this generation—that we didn’t have to go through what Doug [Williams] had to endure. It wasn’t easy, but I think the league has evolved over time, allowing more equal opportunities, and that’s what we’re here to celebrate.”
Davis decided to direct the docuseries as a way to celebrate how far Black quarterbacks have come and to illustrate the struggles they have endured, with questions about their ability to play dating back as far as 40 years. Now that 15 Black quarterbacks are starting for their teams this season, it puts everything into perspective. Davis also said he really wanted Hurts to be part of the project and noted that Hurts’ father, Averion, played a significant role in the career of a Black Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback.
“Jalen is amazing not only on the field, but he’s amazing off the field as well,” Davis said. “When you talk about the quarterback position and being a leader, that’s a huge part of it — being somebody people can look up to on and off the field. But also, when you talk to him, he completely understands and realizes there were guys who came before him and helped pave the way. He talked about how his dad was in a locker room with Warren Moon, and what that meant to Moon’s story and to some of the guys who came before him.”
Defensive end Brandon Graham, a former teammate of Vick and a current teammate of Hurts, attended the screening to support Hurts. Having chased quarterbacks for a living, Graham said he was happy to see the torch being passed from one generation to the next.
“I’m happy for Jalen and all the quarterbacks playing now,” Graham said. “It sucks that it’s a color thing, but I know there are people fighting for those who came before us. We all want to be equal, and at the end of the day, I’m happy they’re getting honored. It’s a fight every day for us, as you see in the community, but when you have some good stuff happening, it’s good we’re getting recognized.”
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