Earlier today, FOX Sports reported that the Detroit Lions and Daunte Culpepper have agreed to a two year deal. Though I’m happy for Culpepper to get another opportunity, and I’m happy for the Lions in their attempt to recover from the era of Matt Millen, this post isn’t about them. Rather, this post speaks directly to the tenor of the fan comments on the announcement. Sadly, as I read the back and forth comments, I noticed the debate centered on whether or not a “black quarterback” will ever be as good as a “white quarterback.”

How is it that in the year 2008, there are fans who still question the color of skin to be a determining factor for competency in playing the position of quarterback in the NFL?

I realize that this site is not geared or intended for this sort of commentary. But, it is not lost on me that early this season, Jason Campbell was being questioned for his “fit” as the starting QB for the Washington Redskins. I wondered then, as I do now, if the bulk of that sentiment was for subjective reasoning. I honestly don’t know. Nor do I believe that we can ever know.

In less than 72 hours, the country will be voting for President of the United States. Win or lose, the historic candidacy of Barack Obama is just a mere start to the conversation regarding race relations and the healing that this “melting pot” country must endure. An African-American, with a “funny name,” is one of two individuals running for, arguably, the most important job in the world. And yet, many fans still openly question whether an African-American can play the position of quarterback in the NFL.

How sad.

Personally, I have always been a fan of Jason Campbell. More specifically, I’ve always allowed myself to have the patience to allow him to develop, i.e. develop without having to switch offenses each year or so. When I was the lead blogger at Die Hard Redskins Fan, I wrote The Upside of Being Patient specifically due to the outcry of detractors that called for Campbell to be benched after the game with the New York Giants.

I supported him then. I support him now. But more importantly, I’m still a Die Hard Redskins Fan that won’t throw him under the bus when he eventually hits the next stage of evolution in learning this new offense. Things are going well for Campbell right now. But, it should be expected by all fans that he will experience some challenges up ahead…even while he continues to grow and become more comfortable in the offense. And, when that comes to pass, I won’t be calling for him to be replaced, regardless of the fact that he’s an African-American.

This is not to say that I didn’t find a certain level of exhilaration watching Colt Brennan play this past pre-season. But, I vehemently oppose the idea of throwing Campbell under the bus based on subjective criteria. And, let’s be honest. All of those so-called fans that were clamoring for Colt Brennan to be the starting QB from the moment he was drafted were just selling wolf tickets. There was absolutely nothing objective in their assessment. How could there be?

So, I applaud Jason Campbell, and Donovan McNabb, and Steve McNair, and Warren Moon, and Daunte Culpepper, and Randell Cunningham, the New York Giants slayer, and especially, Super Bowl winner and MVP Doug Williams of the Washington Redskins, in addition to many others too numerous to name. All are men who were and/or are good enough to play QB in the National Football League. Moreover, each and every one of them had to wear the added burden of being a “black quarterback” when all they really wanted to be was just a quarterback.