The Baltimore Ravens have been gifted with plenty of talented players throughout the years, and quarterback Lamar Jackson should be featured near the top of the list. Entering his fifth year, the signal caller has shattered numerous team and league records as well as helped his team emerge victorious from countless games.
On Monday, Mike Sando of The Athletic published an article in which he placed NFL quarterbacks into tiers. When getting to Jackson, one anonymous defensive coordinator said something that many have disagreed with.
“If he has to pass to win the game, they ain’t winning the game. He’s so unique as an athlete and he’s really a good football player, but I don’t (care) if he wins the league MVP 12 times, I don’t think he’ll ever be a 1 as a quarterback. He’ll be a 1 as a football player, but not as a quarterback.”
On Wednesday, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh spoke to the media during the team’s first day of training camp. Harbaugh defended Jackson, while also taking a shot at the anonymous defensive coordinator who talked down on his quarterback.
“I don’t know who this guy anonymous is. I haven’t met him yet.”
pic.twitter.com/ExwOeAAwPm
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 27, 2022
“Well, with Lamar [Jackson], I’d say, no, just because he’s used to it. I mean, he’s been hearing the same thing since he was probably in junior high. I know he heard it in college; I know he heard it through the Draft. I know he hears some of the same people saying the same things they said in the Draft, [and] that keeps coming up. I don’t know who this guy named ‘Anonymous’ is. I haven’t met him yet. So, I don’t even know why we report on what he has to say. But it is what it is. It’s just bologna; it’s just nothing; it’s a big nothing burger.”
Jackson has proven to be one of the best players in the league, as he’s shown the ability to impact any game with both his arm and his legs. Through four NFL seasons, he’s thrown for 9,967 passing yards and 87 touchdowns through the air while also rushing for 3,673 yards and 21 scores on the ground. Jackson was also named the league-MVP following the 2019 season, winning the award unanimously for the second-ever time in league history. He’s silenced critics time and time again on a multitude of different narratives, and he’ll continue to try to go out and perform at a high level every week to help the Ravens bring their third Lombardi Trophy back to Baltimore.