Good references to the Redskins and Dolphins. As a kid growing up inMaryland during the1980s, I saw firsthand how much the Redskins changed. I mean, compare the '82 Skins to the '87 Skins (both teams Super Bowl champions). In just 5 years, Washington went from a team with a featured white running back, two starting white safeties, and a predominantly white overall starting lineup to a team with a black quarterback that started whites in caste system positions only. All this in just 5 years.
The caste system was revealed to me in the late '80s as a 12 year old kid in regards to how white cornerback Brian Davis (Univ. of Nebraska) was treated by the media and Redskins management. He was inserted into the starting lineup to open the 1988 season, opposite Darryl Green, and removed after like 4 or 5 games. He didn't get a chance. Honestly, think about the situation he was thrust into: A 2nd year player for the defending Super Bowl champs starting across from a premier CB in Green, so you know Davis is going to be thrown at. You got to give a player like that some time to develop. In the end, Davis was relegated to playing in nickel situations for the Skins and I believe finished his career in Seattle in 1994. In his first game with Seattle, he picked off a pass and returned it like 50 yards for a TD. Now that's a white corner!!