By Charles Zackary King
For decades, Black athletes have been the soul of American football, yet they remain excluded from ownership, leadership, and legacy. It’s time to change that. It’s time for the BFL.
For nearly a century, the NFL has stood as a billion-dollar monument to American sports culture. But beneath the glitz and glamour lies a legacy rooted in exclusion, exploitation, and racial hierarchy. The league was built on the premise that only White men were fit to play, lead, and be celebrated. Black men were not just excluded, they were deemed incapable, inferior, and unworthy of the spotlight.
As the game evolved in the 1950s and ’60s, Black athletes were slowly integrated, not to be honored, but to protect and elevate White players. Quarterbacks, wide receivers, and running backs were shielded by Black bodies, while the myth of White superiority remained intact. Even as Black players electrified the sport and filled stadiums, they were paid less, respected less, and denied the recognition they deserved.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t just about football. It was about power. It was about ownership. It was about maintaining a system where Black excellence was commodified but never truly valued.
Take Joe Gilliam and James Harris, two quarterbacks whose talent was undeniable, yet whose careers were stifled by a league that refused to see them as leaders. Gilliam backed up Terry Bradshaw, a man Hollywood Henderson famously called “dumb as rocks.” Harris sat behind Dan Fouts and Joe Namath, despite outplaying them in key moments. These weren’t isolated incidents. They were systemic.
Fast forward to today: the NFL is 85% African American. Black athletes are the heartbeat of the league. They are the reason fans tune in, the reason merchandise flies off shelves, the reason billions are made. And yet, there are still no Black owners. Still only a handful of Black head coaches. Still a media machine that uplifts White leadership while undermining Black brilliance.
So I ask: if the people come to see you, why not own the stage?
Why not build the BFL, the Black Football League?
A league where Black athletes are paid their true worth.
A league where Colin Kaepernick’s knee is honored, not punished.
A league where free speech isn’t a liability, but a right.
A league where ownership reflects the talent on the field.
A league where legacy is built by those who live it.
A league where you do not have to celebrate a racist like Charlie Kirk.
This isn’t just a dream. It’s a call to action.
To every player who’s ever been told they weren’t smart enough, weren’t good enough, weren’t “marketable” enough—this is your moment. To every fan who sees the truth and wants change—this is your movement.
Let’s stop asking for seats at tables built to exclude us. Let’s build our own.
The NFL vs. BFL isn’t just a competition. It’s a reckoning.
It’s time.
Call to Action
A powerful call to action for Black athletes to reclaim ownership, legacy, and truth in a sport built on exclusion. Charles Zackary King challenges the NFL’s historical and ongoing racial dynamics and proposes a bold alternative: the BFL.
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Let the world know: we’re ready.
