Divine Nine: Black Starting Quarterbacks in the 2013 Season
RGIII, Geno Smith, Terrelle Pryor and more on the gridiron.
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Black Starting QBs - The 2013 NFL season kicked off Thursday, and as the nation gears up for a football-filled weekend, BET.com takes a look at nine Black starting quarterbacks to watch this season. — Dominique Zonyéé Robert Griffin III, Washington RedskinsRobert Griffin III, 23, also known as RGIII, attended Baylor University and was the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner. He was a second round draft pick in 2012, and suffered his second ACL injury that same year. Despite controversy regarding his healing process, RGIII was medically cleared and confirmed Monday that he will start in the Redskins' season opener.(Photo: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
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Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks - Russell Wilson, 24, played college football for the University of Wisconsin. He was picked as the 12th draft pick for the Seahawks in 2012. In his first year, he helped the Seahawks get to the playoffs and was named the 2012 Pepsi MAX NFL Rookie of the Year.(Photo: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
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Terrelle Pryor, Oakland Raiders - Terrelle Pryor, 24, played for Ohio State and was the 2011 third round draft pick for the Oakland Raiders. He got his big break as starting QB in 2012, when Carson Palmer was injured. Palmer was traded and Pryor won the starting spot for the 2013 season.(Photo: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
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Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers - Colin Kaepernick, 25, made a name for himself as QB for the University of Nevada. He was named the Athletic Western Conference Player of the Year twice in college, and was drafted to the 49ers in 2011 as a back-up QB. Kaepernick lead the 49ers to their first Super Bowl since ’94 in 2012. (Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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EJ Manuel, Buffalo Bills - EJ Manuel, 23, played for Florida State University and was a 2013 first round pick for the Bills. The rookie QB had a stellar senior year, but suffered a knee injury once he was drafted. The Bills announced on Sept. 4 via Twitter that Manuel would start this season.(Photo: Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
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Geno Smith, New York Jets - Geno Smith, 22, played college ball for West Virginia University and was drafted to the league in 2013. Smith lost the first round QB pick to EJ Manuel, but was later selected as the 39th draft pick for the Jets. This season, Smith will make his debut in the NFL as a quarterback.(Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images)
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Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles - Michael Vick, 33, is a veteran QB. He was drafted into the NFL in 2001 after dropping out of Virginia Tech after his sophomore year. Vick overcame a 2007 dog fighting scandal which resulted in prison time. He joined the Eagles in 2010 and led them to the playoffs in 2011.(Photo: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
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Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers - Cam Newton, 24, came out of Auburn University and into the league in 2011 with three accolades. He was the third player to be awarded the Heisman Trophy, win a national championship and be the first overall pick in the NFL draft all in the same year. He was announced team captain of the Panthers on Thursday.(Photo: Peter Aiken/Getty Images)