The National Football League will hold the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin on April 24-26. The What We Need to Know Newsletter takes a look back at Little Known Black History Facts as they relate to African American football players, HBCUs and “Black Firsts” in the NFL.
Wally Triplett achieved a number of firsts during his collegiate and professional football career, including becoming the first African-American starter for Penn State University.
Wallace Triplett was born April 18, 1926 in the Philadelphia suburb of La Mott. He was reportedly offered a scholarship to the University of Miami which then rescinded the offer upon discovering that he was Black. Instead, he earned an academic scholarship to Penn State en route to becoming the school’s first Black varsity player and the first Black PSU player selected in the NFL Draft.
Triplett was drafted by the Detroit Lions and became the first Black player to start in an NFL game after being drafted.