Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

John Grasso wrote:

JWL wrote:The Raiders punter is a black guy.

I know there have been some black punters and kickers in the NFL -
Reggie Roby, Gene Mingo, Donald Igweibuke, Greg Coleman and
Randall Cunningham to name a few.
But why aren't there more?

Couple of reasons, I certainly don't think high school coaches are steering players to or from the kicking duties. In youth football, you often see the QB/WR/RB kicking, but by HS, that type of player is usually more focused on what they do best. On special teams, that player will sometime be utilized as a returner, because the kick return is a bigger factor in this stage of football. Also, some HS kickers also play soccer, and that sport has a small percentage of black players.

Teo wrote:

TanksAndSpartans wrote:Yep, this is from the article:

In the past 31 years, only two white running backs rushed for at least 1,000 yards in a season: Craig James (1985) and Peyton Hillis (2010). Penn State’s John Cappelletti, selected 11th overall by the Los Angeles Rams in 1974, was the last white tailback taken in the opening round. McCaffrey hopes to end the drought.

What about Brad Muster?

Muster, like "Touchdown Tommy" Vardell--another first round flop who began with the Browns, was a fullback.

The Titans/Jets had an African American kicker their first three years in the AFL. Bill Shockley.

Strangely, he washed out of the AFL in 1962 and then reappeared for the Steelers in 1968 during their season opener...making 2 of 3 extra points and missing his only FG attempt. Booth Lusteg would take over kicking duties from there.

sheajets wrote:The Titans/Jets had an African American kicker their first three years in the AFL. Bill Shockley.

Strangely, he washed out of the AFL in 1962 and then reappeared for the Steelers in 1968 during their season opener...making 2 of 3 extra points and missing his only FG attempt. Booth Lusteg would take over kicking duties from there.

Shockley showed up at a kickers tryout camp that Bill Austin held at Temple U. in June 1968 and obviously impressed him enough to get signed. The camp came after Mike Clark refused to report unless he was traded to the Cowboys (he lived in Texas). If they didn't, he'd just retire. The year before, he was almost signed by the Redskins, who needed some help in the kicking department.

The Steelers brought in Ben Agajanian to work with Shockley, who kicked three FG's, including the game-winning chip-shot in the final minute, in an exhibition game at San Diego. The following week, Shockley kicked a 33-yarder, the only Steeler points in a 19-3 loss to the expansion Bengals. After the opener against the Giants, the Steelers signed Lusteg the day before they played the Rams. Lusteg had been cut by Miami two weeks earlier.

John Grasso wrote:

JWL wrote:The Raiders punter is a black guy.

I know there have been some black punters and kickers in the NFL -
Reggie Roby, Gene Mingo, Donald Igweibuke, Greg Coleman and
Randall Cunningham to name a few.
But why aren't there more?

Coleman was also the Vikings holder on field goals and XP in the 80s.

It's all a bit ironic, since the first player to be kept on a roster primarily because of his punting ability was Horace Gillom.

Horace Gillom Black Punter in the 40's and 50's, and boy could he boom 'em.