Ravens fans took more offense to Lamar Jackson's ranking on the "NFL Top 100" than the star quarterback himself.
Jackson's No. 69 ranking on the 2026 list, a drop of 67 spots from a year ago, sparked outrage from fans and media members alike. For Jackson, it's just more noise amidst the din of doubts that have surrounded his career.
"I was cool with it. I really didn't care," Jackson said on “The Lounge” podcast ahead of Ravens training camp. "I play football. I don't really care about where people are ranking me."
Jackson said he used to respond to criticism he would see on social media, but he doesn't let it get to him anymore.
"I don't look for the noise. It finds me," he said with a laugh.
Jackson said he's grown from reading the Bible, specifically referencing Ephesians 6:12, which essentially says the struggle is not against humans, but against higher spiritual forces.
"It comes with the territory," Jackson said. "The only way I can control it is me being me."
That's what Jackson's new head coach, Jesse Minter, wants to see as well. Minter also scoffed at Jackson's ranking, and even texted Jackson about it.
"Look, there may not even be one other player in the league better than Lamar, yet alone 68 players in the league better than Lamar," Minter said on "The Lounge" podcast last week.
"When you have one year where he dealt with a little bit of injury and the team [missed the playoffs], certain players, they hold onto that and certain players, they give them the benefit of the doubt. This guy is a multi-MVP winner, has transcended the quarterback position. He knows how I feel about him."
In a way, Jackson announced his arrival in the NFL at the start of his 2019 MVP season when he torched the Miami Dolphins for five touchdown passes and afterwards quipped, "Not bad for a running back."
With the highest career quarterback rating (102.2) in NFL history and two MVPs on his resume, Jackson has proved himself as a passer. But after injuries derailed his 2025 season, the doubts have resurfaced about his longevity and even his running abilities.
Jackson is determined to have a bounce-back year, but not to prove others wrong.
"I love the game. If you love the game like I do, there's always going to be a chip on your shoulder," Jackson said.
"You want to win. You want to prove yourself that you're better than the year prior. That's all I'm doing. I'm proving myself right. I don't really care about the naysayers. They're going to always be around."
