Peacock is bringing a powerful narrative to sports fans with Field Generals: History of the Black Quarterback, a new four-part docuseries that premieres Thursday, February 5. Executive produced by NBC Sports’ Maria Taylor, the series takes viewers on a journey through one of the most transformative sagas in American football history, the rise, resilience, and revolution of Black quarterbacks in the NFL.
Streaming weekly on Peacock, Field Generals goes beyond highlight reels and wins. It dives deep into the social and cultural context that shaped both the struggles and triumphs of Black signal callers, from the years surrounding the AFL-NFL merger through the turn of the 21st century.
“Black QBs are the future of modern football,” the trailer declares, and yet, for decades, that future was far from guaranteed.
For much of football history, stereotypes and prejudice prevented Black athletes from even being considered for the most cerebral position on the field. As the trailer notes, there was once a widespread belief that the quarterback position required a “thinking man’s” skill set that Black players were unfairly presumed not to possess.
The series reframes this history not just as a sports story but as a mirror of America’s evolving attitudes about race and belonging, showing how the fight for acceptance on the gridiron reflected broader struggles for equality off it.
“What happens on the NFL field isn’t about the game. It’s a mirror of America’s attitudes about itself, of who’s perceived to belong and not to belong.”
Throughout the series, voices from the field and beyond reflect on what it took from danger and discrimination to breakthrough success for Black quarterbacks to earn their place.
Field Generals features extensive interviews with many of the pioneering and celebrated Black quarterbacks who pushed open doors and rewrote expectations across generations of professional football.
The series highlights trailblazers like James “Shack” Harris, one of the first Black quarterbacks to start in the modern NFL, and Warren Moon, the Hall of Famer whose legacy spans both the CFL and NFL. It also spotlights historic milestones through figures like Doug Williams, the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl, and innovators such as Randall Cunningham, whose dual-threat style helped expand what the position could look like.
From the stars of the 1990s era, including Donovan McNabb and Rodney Peete, to overlooked pioneers like Vince Evans and Chuck Ealey, the docuseries traces the full arc of progress and perseverance. The story continues into the modern era with quarterbacks like Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson, whose dynamic playmaking helped redefine the position for today’s NFL.
The series also features commentary from journalists, historians, coaches, and cultural critics, including Michael Wilbon, Bomani Jones, Bob Costas, Michael Eric Dyson, and historian Michael Beschloss. Their perspectives help place the players’ experiences within broader social and racial narratives that stretch across generations.
Field Generals: History of the Black Quarterback hits Peacock on February 5. Check out the trailer.
