Why Was Lamar Jackson Ranked No. 69? (A Super Simple Explanation)

What Happened?

Sometimes, football players say, "We are the best judges of how good other players are!" But then they do something that proves they might not be perfect at it.

Here’s a perfect example:

• The NFL Network made a list of the top 100 players in the NFL (that’s the big American football league).
• The list was decided only by players (other football pros voted).
• Baltimore Ravens quarterback (that’s the player who throws the ball) Lamar Jackson was placed at No. 69.
• That is 67 spots lower than where he was ranked in 2025 (he was much higher before).

Callout – Important Point: Just because players vote doesn’t mean the result is always fair. The way they vote can make mistakes!

Lamar’s Year in Numbers (Why Some Think He Slipped)

People might say Lamar had a weaker year. Let’s look at the simple facts:

• The Ravens (his team) barely missed the playoffs (the special end-of-season games to win the trophy).
• Lamar missed 4 games because he got hurt (injury).
• His passing yards (how far he threw the ball) went down:
  • From 4,172 to 2,549 yards.
• His rushing yards (how far he ran with the ball) also dropped:
  • From 915 to 349 yards.

So, on paper, his numbers were smaller than before.

Why Saying He’s No. 69 Is Still Silly

But wait! The author says: He is still Lamar Jackson—one of the most amazing players ever.

Think of it like this:

• There are not 68 players better than him.
• There are not even 28, or 18, and maybe not even 8 better than him.

Just because his numbers went down for a short time doesn’t mean he suddenly became ordinary.

How the Voting Works (And Why It’s Flawed)

So how did this mix-up happen? Let’s break down the voting steps in a simple way:

1. A certain group of players is asked to write down their personal top 20 greatest players right now.
2. Each spot on their list gives points: #1 gets 20 points, #2 gets 19, … all the way down to #20 gets 1 point.
3. If a player (like Lamar) is having a quieter year because of injury or fewer games, other players might not put him as high on their list.
4. Meanwhile, players who are playing super well at that exact moment get placed higher on many ballots.
5. When all points are added, a normally great player can fall way down—even if he’s still way better than most.

Callout – Important Point: The problem isn’t that the voting players are wrong on purpose. The system is built to favor players having a hot streak, not all-time greatness.

Summary

To wrap it up in a bow:

• Players voted Lamar Jackson as only the 69th best player.
• He had a few setbacks (missed games, lower stats), but he’s still elite.
• The voting method (list top 20, give points) accidentally pushes injured or off-year stars down.
• The drop of 67 spots shows the process is broken, not that Lamar got bad.

FAQ (Simple Questions & Answers)

Q1: What is the NFL Top 100 list?
It’s a yearly countdown by the NFL Network where football players vote for who they think are the best 100 players in the league.

Q2: Why did Lamar Jackson miss games?
He got hurt (an injury), so he couldn’t play for about four matches.

Q3: Does a lower ranking mean Lamar is now a poor player?
No! The article argues he is still one of the very best, maybe top 8 or fewer. The ranking is just a mistake from the voting style.

Q4: Could this happen to other great players?
Yes. Any time a superstar has a small off-year, the current voting steps can make them look worse than they are.

Q5: Who is to blame for the silly ranking?
Not the players who voted—the blame is on the flawed point system that only looks at short-term performance.