Lamar Jackson is back in the spotlight after a challenging season where injuries held him back, and expectations fell. In 2025, Lamar threw only three touchdowns to five interceptions over a six-game span between November and December. While highlighting Jackson’s struggles, longtime columnist Greg Cole labeled him as a “career disappointment.” His comments were met with immediate backlash, including from the quarterback’s former linebacker.

Kyle Van Noy, who shared the field with Jackson for three seasons, strongly disagrees with Greg’s comments. He emphasized that judging a quarterback’s legacy solely by Super Bowl victories is, as he put it, “lazy” and “just plain silly.”

“Can I ask why y’all are tying this narrative with pressure on Lamar when he already won the pressure argument! Y’all started off his career by saying should he should play WR or RB?!? He said, ” Watch this” and won an MVP not just once but 2x (should have been 3 that’s for another day)!” Kyle Van Noy wrote on X.

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“If he never plays a down again, he’s literally a HOF, he’s the most influential football player like Ai is to basketball, and he literally changed the way people take QBs in the league!”

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Additionally, this matters when you consider how the league has changed. Jackson has made teams and coaches rethink what a quarterback can do, challenging traditional views in the process.

“People have no idea how hard it is to win the championship and talk about it like it’s sooo easy!” Van Noy added, pointing to how casually critics throw around championship expectations.

Still, on the Dan LeBatard Show, Cote added, “We’re all dancing around what’s obvious with Lamar Jackson. We’re all dancing around the fact that right now, he’s the great two-time MVP who has been a career disappointment. He’s never won; he’s never led his team to a Super Bowl. He’s 3-5 in the playoffs. The pressure is on Lamar Jackson to prove it in the postseason.”

However, looking at a player’s career just through the lens of team wins overlooks the full story. Seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady once told Jackson, “You’re the reason people tune into the NFL.”

That really highlights his influence, especially considering he was picked 32nd in the draft.

Actually, Jackson’s performance has been impressive compared to other quarterbacks. He has done better than a few guys picked ahead of him, like Josh Allen and even Sam Darnold, who just won the Super Bowl this season.

In the end, every team aims for the Super Bowl, but it’s not something one player can do alone. Football is all about timing, teamwork, and a bit of luck coming together. A quarterback plays a crucial role, but he’s just one piece of a larger puzzle, much like how a top running back doesn’t make his own holes to run through.

So, the criticism around Jackson is unfair, especially when he is already eyeing the Super Bowl.

Lamar Jackson wants to win a championship this season

Lamar Jackson has often been slow to join offseason programs during his eight years in the league. But this year was different. He arrived immediately as the Baltimore Ravens kicked off their new chapter with Jesse Minter, which really stood out. Subsequently, Zay Flowers also pointed out that the two-time MVP seems more focused than ever.

“He’s always ready. He’s even more ready this year,” Flowers said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN. “He’s excited about the coaching staff, he’s excited about getting to work with [new offensive coordinator] Declan [Doyle]. So yeah, he’s ready to go. He wants to finish. He wants to get a ring.” That message lines up with what the Flock has been waiting to hear.

The situation in Baltimore is definitely urgent. Lamar Jackson led the Baltimore Ravens to a 6-7 record in the 13 games he started in 2025, marking his first losing season, as they didn’t make the playoffs for the first time since 2022. This led to a massive turnover with Harbaugh leaving after 18 seasons and Minter taking over.

“It doesn’t matter who it is, you are going to have a window, and you have to just seize your opportunity,” Flowers said. “And this is our window, I feel like.”

Naturally, that puts the spotlight back on Jackson, who needs to stay healthy and string together a full season after a tough 2025.