Latinos in the End Zone: Conversations on the Brown Color Line in the NFL

Prologue, “Kick Offs,” establishes the parameters for Frederick Luis Aldama and Christopher González’s conversación de sobremesa—a tradition in Latino culture of discussing subjects in great detail and at great length after dinner. They begin by juxtaposing their own autobiographical experience with lucid cultural analysis of Latinos in pro football leagues—and not fútbol as in soccer. They offer a hermeneutical approach that seeks to assign meaning to the material and intellectual culture of Latinos in the NFL; they establish their approach to assess and assert the value and importance of the struggles and victories experienced by the significant yet oft-overlooked presence of Latinos in the history of pro football.

“A Question of the Brown Scrimmage Line” provides a nuanced socio-cultural analysis of exclusionary practices and trends in the early history of the pro leagues—or what the authors identify as the brown color line.

“From Punishing Penalties to Brown Bodies Raiding the NFL” considers several significant moments when Latinos broke through the brown color line, including the pivotal moment when two of the NFL’s most significant Latino figures Tom Flores (coach) and Jim Plunkett (quarterback) took the Raiders to two Super Bowl victories.

“Sidelined … No Más!” considers issues of access to education (GI Bill, athletic scholarships, and Affirmative Action), the increased diversification in the regional and heritage of Latino players (from urban to rural and from Mexican to Puerto Rican to Dominican and Cuban of origin), and the presence of Latinos in the globalization of the game.

“The Blitz … Heroes, Saviors, Saints, and Sinners,” considers the role of the community, the media, and capitalism generally in the rise and fall of Latino superstar players.

“Three Latino Legends: Snapshot by Interview,” includes conversations we conducted with three Latino football pioneers: Joe Kapp, Tom Flores, and Jim Plunkett. We turn to our elders to learn from their wealth of experience and wisdom as significant shapers in the history of the NFL.

“End Zones and New Scrimmage Lines,” reminds readers of the history covered in the book: from deep cultural history (the Mesoamerican game of ulama) that began the book to discussions of the brown color line, to the rise and fall of Latino superstar players. The Epilogue reminds readers of the significant role Latinos have played in the shaping of the NFL.