Lancaster University Management School Working Paper 2007/045 Race and the evaluation of signal callers in the national football league David Berri and Rob Simmons The Department of Economics Lancaster University Management School Lancaster LA1 4YX UK © David Berri and Rob Simmons All rights reserved. Short sections of text, not to exceed two paragraphs, may be quoted without explicit permission, provided that full acknowledgement is given. The LUMS Working Papers series can be accessed at http://www.lums.lancs.ac.uk/publications/ LUMS home page: http://www.lums.lancs.ac.uk/ Race and the Evaluation of Signal Callers in the National Football League David J. Berri* Department of Applied Economics California State University - Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Highway Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099 661-664-2027 (office) (661) 664-2049 (fax)
[email protected] Rob Simmons Department of Economics The Management School Lancaster University Lancaster, LA1 4YX, UK 0044-1524-594234 (office) 0044-1524-594244 (fax)
[email protected] Abstract: Until recently, the position of quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) was not an option for black athletes. Today many teams employ black quarterbacks, a development that might suggest race is no longer relevant when it comes to the evaluation of signal callers in the NFL. To examine this contention, this paper explores the relationship between player salary, performance, and race at the quarterback position over the period 1995 to 2006. We find that blacks and whites play this position differently. Specifically, black quarterbacks are more likely to run with the football. This skill, though, is not compensated in the market.