Lamar Jackson, the dude who was No. 2 on the NFL’s top 100 list last year, got slapped with a No. 69 ranking on this year's show, and frankly, it's straight-up disrespectful.
The Slap in the Face Ranking
This isn't just an "oh, that's kinda low" situation. This is a "what in the actual heck were they thinking?" moment. The NFL’s annual top 100 show put Jackson at No. 69, which means if Patrick Mahomes is above him (a pretty safe bet) and Aaron Rodgers isn't, there are 67 players without multiple MVP awards sitting higher on that list. Sixty-seven! Seriously, the league moves on from top players fast, but this is recency bias gone absolutely wild. It’s the most illogical placement we've seen on any of these "top" lists this season, and that’s saying something.The Noise is Getting Louder
And it’s not just the list. There's been a weird groundswell of criticism hitting Jackson this month. You got ESPN wondering if he's gonna lose his job, for who exactly? Tyler Huntley? Come on. Then there's radio host Colin Cowherd saying he'd rather have Bo Nix in a big spot over Jackson. Bo Nix! This is all happening in the NFL’s slow time before training camp, sure, but it doesn't excuse forgetting how undeniably elite Jackson is. The dude had a down 2024 season, yeah, messed up his hamstring early and never quite got right. That happens, it's football. But when the Ravens *needed* a win in Week 18, he still made spectacular plays to beat the Steelers. To ignore his entire career because of one off-season affected by injury is baffling.Don't Forget What He's Done
Let's not forget the recent past. Just two seasons ago, Jackson was the NFL's first-team All-Pro quarterback. He nearly broke the league's all-time record for passer rating in a single season, and oh yeah, he also rushed for 915 yards. He absolutely should have been NFL MVP over Josh Allen that year, which would have given him three MVP awards. Only six players in the entire history of the NFL have three MVPs. And now, before he even hits his 30th birthday, the NFL world is acting like he's past his prime. His story might be getting complicated, with talk of him being difficult to coach after John Harbaugh was fired, and not reaching a Super Bowl fuels the critics. But let's get real, only one player ahead of Jackson on that ridiculously flawed list has as many MVP awards as him, and that’s Mahomes, who everyone agrees is one of the greatest ever. This noise might be flying around while we wait for training camp to kick off, but if there's one thing we know about Lamar Jackson, it's that he thrives on proving people wrong. The season's ahead, and you can bet he's already got a highlight reel ready to remind everyone exactly why he’s one of the best in the game.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.