The Breakthrough

For just the second time in 26 years, the quarterback that has won the Super Bowl has been Black.  Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks is that person, although he didn't need to do much in the 43-8 beatdown of Denver in metro New York City.  Wilson's two touchdown passes were aided by a defense that created four turnovers and 28 points on its own, including a 69-yard interception returned for a score by game MVP Malcolm Smith, just the third linebacker to earn the Big Game's highest honor .

Granted, Wilson didn't get the truck, but he does sit in the winners' circle with Doug Williams of the Washington Redskins.  Wilson also is the shortest quarterback to ever win the Super Bowl, clocking in at a mere 5 feet-11 inches.  The championship does cap off a breakthrough season for the dimunitive signal caller from Cincinnati by way of Richmond, VA.  His ability to evade even the best pass rushers has endeared him to fans all across the Pacific Northwest.  He gets his toughness, however, from his father, the late Harrison Barnes III, who spent a short time in the NFL as a preseason player in San Diego, making the two one of the few father-son duos to ever make the league.

So now that both Black quarterbacks and Black coaches have each earned two rings on their own, surely it is about time to pair the two for a title run.  Considering it almost happened in 2000 with Tampa Bay's Tony Dungy and Shaun King, this should give the impetus to give the smartest brothers in the business the platform they so richly deserve.