Hispanic Football History | Hispanic Football Hall of Fame

The first Hispanic player in the NFL was Ignacio Saturnino "Lou" Molinet, of Cuban heritage, who played for the Frankford Yellow Jackets in 1927. Joe Aguirre became the first Hispanic player to earn All-Pro honors with the Washington Redskins in 1944.

Carlos Alvarez, of Cuban descent, was the first Hispanic player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He starred at the University of Florida from 1969 to 1971.

Five Hispanics have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

Steve Van Buren (Honduran heritage, 1965 – the first ever selected)
Tom Fears (Mexican heritage, 1970)
Ted Hendricks (Guatemalan heritage, 1990)
Anthony Muñoz (Mexican heritage, 1998)
Tom Flores (Mexican heritage, 2021)

Tom Flores made history as the first Hispanic NFL head coach, the first Hispanic to win a Super Bowl, and the first to start at quarterback in the NFL. Both he and two-time AP Coach of the Year Ron Rivera have surpassed 100 career wins as NFL head coaches.

Jim Plunkett, of Mexican heritage, is the first Hispanic player to win both the Heisman Trophy and Super Bowl MVP. He is also the first Hispanic player ever selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft.