Jesse Minter: There aren’t 68 better players than Lamar Jackson - NBC Sports

What the report says

NBCSports.com’s Pro Football Talk reported July 24 that Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s placement on NFL Network’s player-voted Top 100 list drew a pointed response from Ravens head coach Jesse Minter. Jackson was listed at No. 69, a steep fall from his No. 2 ranking on the 2025 version of the list.

According to the report, Minter discussed the ranking during an appearance on the Ravens’ “The Lounge” podcast and said he had spoken with Jackson about it. Minter argued that the placement did not match Jackson’s standing on the field, saying in effect that he does not believe dozens of NFL players are better than the two-time MVP. He also noted that Jackson had dealt with some injury issues and that Baltimore missed the playoffs, factors he suggested may have influenced how some voters viewed the quarterback.

Minter said he does not put much weight in the annual rankings and indicated he believes Jackson takes a similar approach. He urged Jackson to focus on being himself, adding that Jackson’s best version has already shown he can be viewed as the league’s top player.

The ranking matters because the NFL Network list is based on player voting and often becomes a snapshot of league perception entering a season. For Baltimore, the discussion adds another storyline around Jackson as the Ravens begin Minter’s first season in charge, with expectations still tied closely to the quarterback’s health, production and ability to return the team to contention.