The NFL Madden’25 ratings have sparked a fresh debate about quarterback rankings, with Lamar Jackson securing the second-highest overall rating at 98, just behind Patrick Mahomes’ 99. This revelation during ESPN’s “Ratings Reveal Week” quickly ignited discussions on whether Jackson truly deserves to be considered the league’s second-best signal-caller.
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On “NFL on ESPN,” former Patriots offensive guard Damien Woody wasted no time defending Jackson’s status. Woody pointed to Jackson’s impressive performance last season under new Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, which resulted in his second league MVP award.
He further dismissed criticisms coming from Jackson’s AFC championship game performance, arguing that such things happen when players face “the living G.O.A.T. in Patrick Mahomes”:
“What Lamar Jackson has done since he’s been in the National Football League, has been one of the most dynamic quarterbacks, both passing and running the football…Have people not watched Lamar Jackson in the pocket?”
For Woody, Jackson’s individual stats and accolades rival those of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks throughout history. He emphasized that the only missing piece in Jackson’s resume is a Super Bowl ring, adding to his point that a championship would elevate Jackson into an even more prestigious category of quarterbacks.
However, not everyone on the panel shared the same thoughts as the two-time Super Bowl winner, with Kimberley Martin offering a contrasting perspective.
Martin ranks Joe Burrow higher than Jackson
While Damien Woody downplayed the significance of Jackson’s AFC Championship loss, the ESPN analyst argued that such high-stakes games do indeed matter. She highlighted that beating the Chiefs in the AFC Championship is precisely what’s expected of a top-tier quarterback like Jackson.
Martin did acknowledge Jackson’s greatness but was clear in her assessment that he fell short last season by not reaching the Super Bowl.
She instead chose Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow as the league’s second-best quarterback, asserting that despite Burrow’s injury-plagued career, he has already led his team to a Super Bowl appearance.
The NFL reporter noted that the quarterbacks have high expectations and the “standard is the standard,” adding, “When Joe Burrow is healthy, he is lethal.”
Ultimately, the debate over who stands as the NFL’s second-best quarterback boils down to the criteria used for evaluation. Perhaps in the 2024 season, both quarterbacks will have fresh opportunities to strengthen their cases and potentially settle this debate on the field.
