Eldridge Dickey
| Position: | Quarterback |
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| Personal information | |
| Date of birth: | 24 December 1945 |
| Place of birth: | Houston, Texas |
| Date of death: | 22 May 2000 |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 198 lb (90 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: | Tennessee State University |
| AFL draft: | 1968 / Round: 1 / Pick: 25 |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Player stats at PFR | |
Eldridge Reno Dickey (24 December 1945 – 22 May 2000) was an American football player. After playing for Tennessee State University from 1965–1968, he was drafted in 1968 by the Oakland Raiders in the 1st round as the 25th overall pick. Dickey became the first African-American quarterback selected in the first round by an AFL or NFL team. Despite a strong performance during training camp, Dickey was moved to wide receiver for the start of the season. He was never able to play at quarterback in an AFL or NFL game.
Eldridge Dickey began playing football at Richard G. Lockett Jr. High School and went on to play at Booker T. Washington High School, both in his hometown of Houston, Texas. A supremely intelligent man, Dickey had an IQ in the high 130s. In college at Tennessee State, he became a three-time HBCU All-American with 6,523 passing yards and 67 touchdowns. Dickey was considered a gifted athlete with his strongest positions being quarterback and punter. Similar to Michael Vick, Dickey was a strong running quarterback. He was also able to throw precision passes with both his left and right arm. With Dickey at the lead, TSU went to two bowl games in 1965 and 1966. Also in 1966, TSU earned their first undefeated, untied season and their first National Black College Football Championship. The 1966 team averaged 41 points per game, allowing an average of only 4.
In 1968 the Oakland Raiders made Dickey the first African-American quarterback to be drafted in the first round in professional football. The Raiders also selected University of Alabama quarterback Ken Stabler in the second round. Despite reports that Dickey outperformed Stabler at training camp, Dickey was moved to wide receiver for the start of the season. It is unknown if this decision was influenced by the predominant stereotype at the time that Blacks weren't intelligent enough to be capable leaders or if it was solely based on Dickey's athletic ability. This came as a blow to a player who at one time told his former coach, Joe Gilliam, that if he couldn't play quarterback he didn't want to play. But, Dickey accepted the position hoping for an opportunity to play his preferred position.
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