Lamar Jackson's Disregard: NFL Network's Top 100 List Overshadows His Greatness

Lamar Jackson's ranking on the NFL Network's Top 100 list is a stark reminder of how quickly the NFL can move on from top players. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback was ranked No. 69 on the list, a significant drop from his No. 2 spot last year.

What happened?

The NFL's annual Top 100 list, voted by the players, is as flawed as any other list in the sporting world. Every year, the placement of several players is wildly illogical. This season, Jackson will be the most egregious example.

Why it matters for Lamar Jackson

The disrespect shown to Jackson is not new. He has dealt with nonsense for plenty of his career, dating back to when former NFL general manager Bill Polian said he should switch to receiver. Any time the Ravens have lost a big game, or Jackson has had an injury-plagued season, the knives get sharpened and come out.

What comes next?

Jackson had a down 2025 season, hurt his hamstring early in the season and never seemed to fully recover. Despite this, when the Ravens needed to win in Week 18, he made some spectacular plays to put Baltimore in position to beat the Steelers. To ignore what Jackson has been over his career, after a down season affected by injury, is strange.

Two seasons ago, Jackson was the NFL's first-team All-Pro quarterback. He nearly set the league's all-time record for passer rating in a season and also rushed for 915 yards. He should have been NFL MVP over Josh Allen, which would have been three for Jackson. Only six players in NFL history have three MVP awards.

And now, with Jackson not even reaching his 30th birthday yet, the NFL world is acting like he's done as a great player. Sure. The NFL's list, voted by the players, is as flawed as there is among the many lists in the sporting world. Every year, the placement of several players is wildly illogical. Jackson will be the most egregious example from this season.

Jackson's critics are easily found

The NFL's ranking of Jackson is not the only criticism he's facing. Some of his critics are saying he's not good enough to be a top quarterback. They point to his down 2025 season and say he's not the same player he was a few years ago. But the facts are on Jackson's side. He's still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and his career statistics prove it.

Jackson has dealt with nonsense for plenty of his career, dating back to when former NFL general manager Bill Polian said he should switch to receiver. Any time the Ravens have lost a big game, or Jackson has had an injury-plagued season, the knives get sharpened and come out. But Jackson has always come out on top, and he'll continue to do so.

The NFL's ranking of Jackson is a reminder that the league can move on from top players quickly. But it's also a reminder that Jackson is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He's still got it, and he'll continue to prove it on the field.