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Feb. 6, 2006 Author’s Note: My original plan was to present the heroes of my historical essay series, The Living Groundbreakers, in alphabetical order. But recent events have compelled me to post one essay out of order. I appreciate your indulgence, and I hope that you enjoy and share The Living Groundbreakers with as many people as possible. ***** It wasn’t uncommon in the 1970s for college football teams to move black athletes who had played quarterback in high school to other positions. While that certainly allowed black players opportunities to stay in and excel at the game, it also represented a sentiment that, unfortunately, wasn’t uncommon in America at that time—black players are okay, as long as they aren’t leading the team. For Warren Moon, who played quarterback at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, moving to another position wasn’t an option. In fact, it took him some time to find a school that would let him play his native position. He wound up playing for Don James at the University of Washington. As a senior, he led the Huskies to victory in the 1978 Rose Bowl, rushing for two touchdowns and throwing for another in a 27-20 upset of high-powered Michigan. Moon was rewarded by being bypassed in the same NFL Draft in which fellow African-American quarterback Doug Williams was selected with the 17th pick by Tampa Bay. Moon then set his sights on the wider and longer playing fields of Canada, latching on with the Edmonton Eskimos. Moon’s arrival began an incredible run of success, as the Eskimos won five straight Grey Cup championships between 1978 and 1982. In six seasons, Moon completed 57.5 percent of his passes, amassing 21,228 yards and 144 touchdowns. He also had 1,700 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns. Moon’s success north of the border finally got the attention of the NFL. In 1984, he joined the Houston Oilers as a free agent, but struggled during his first three seasons to get things on track. Despite completing 54.4 percent of his passes, he threw 59 interceptions versus only 40 touchdowns, including a career-worst 26 picks in 1986. Houston struggled too, winning only 13 games in that span. The strike-shortened 1987 season gave Moon and his team a chance to shine. Moon led the Oilers to a 9-6 record and their first playoff berth since 1980. They would beat Seattle 23-20 in overtime in the Wild Card game, but lose 34-10 the next week at Denver in the Divisional Playoffs. Moon would then lead Houston to the playoffs every season through 1993, winning back-to-back AFC Central titles in 1992 and 1993. His play earned him nine Pro Bowl appearances. Regular-season success, however, did not translate into post-season glory for Moon. Moon was only 3-6 in the playoffs with Houston, including what could only be called the ultimate choke, when the Oilers blew a 32-3 lead at Buffalo in the 1992 Wild Card round. Houston lost that game 41-38 in overtime. In 1994, Moon joined the Minnesota Vikings and led them to the NFC Central title with a 10-6 record. But again, playoff success eluded Moon. The Bears beat the Vikings, at home, 35-18 on Wild Card Weekend. That would be Moon’s last playoff game. After another season and a half in Minnesota, Moon spent two seasons in Seattle and two seasons as a backup in Kansas City. When he retired from pro football in 2001, Warren Moon took with him some very impressive numbers. The 70,553 yards that he threw for in his CFL and NFL stints is the most of any quarterback in pro-football history; Dan Marino is over 9,100 yards behind. His 435 touchdowns are 15 more than Dan Marino’s 420. His 5,357 completions put him 390 ahead of Dan Marino. And with a combined 23 seasons of service, he surpassed Earl Morrall’s 21 seasons for longevity at the position. Only George Blanda, who played quarterback but was predominately a kicker during his career, played pro football longer. On February 4, 2006, Warren Moon received the ultimate honor when he was elected to join the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Said Moon after learning of his election, “I don’t want to make this a racial thing, because it shouldn’t be, but it is significant because it is the first.” Not only is Moon the first black quarterback elected to the Hall, he is the first undrafted quarterback of any color elected to the Hall. And he is the first player from any position to be elected to both the Canadian and Pro Football halls of fame. Equally spectacular is the fact that he was elected to Canton in his first year of eligibility, joining fellow quarterback Troy Aikman and the late defensive lineman Reggie White as first-ballot selections in the 2006 class. It is the success of quarterbacks like Warren Moon that paved the way for modern leaders like Byron Leftwich, Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick. Moon's career had a significant impact on pro football. And that’s what makes him a Living Groundbreaker. ------------ About the author: Claxton Graham has written a number of articles for Useless Knowledge. He works as a business systems analyst. Email: scifiwriter8502@email.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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