The interesting thing is: Lamar Jackson is 24-2 as a starter against the NFC in his career. Yeah, that’s another thing those two losses have come with Saquon Barkley on the other side. But still, Jackson has proved it all throughout his career. In fact, he didn’t just outperform his peers last season; he torched them. 4,100-plus passing yards, 41 total scores, 915 rushing yards, and an NFL-leading 25.5 fantasy points per outing. But all these aren’t enough to establish him as QB no. 1. Wait…what?
Yes! ESPN commentator Mike Tannenbaum, who appeared on national TV, was asked, “Do you agree that Lamar is the most talented QB in the NFL?” His response wasn’t just a no. It was a curveball. “No I don’t, I love Lamar, but I would go with Jordan Love as the most talented QB in the NFL”. The response wasn’t mere disagreement; it was astonishment. Tannenbaum, who was once an NFL executive, turned hot-take engine.
He doubled down by describing Love’s pocket presence and arm talent as more “NFL sustainable” than Jackson’s dual-threat genius, referencing Love’s 2024 production under Matt LaFleur. But what did he omit? Jackson’s MVP resume, and that the two QBs didn’t even play against each other last season because neither played in the Ravens-Packers preseason game. Ironically, at the exact time when Mike Tannenbaum uttered those words, studio lights flickered momentarily. The host didn’t skip a beat: “You see up above? They don’t like that,” she teased. Another guest laughed and added: “They knew you were talking nonsense.” Hilarious, even the lights know Jackson is good!
Imagine going on live television and confidently saying that Jordan Love is more talented than Lamar Jackson pic.twitter.com/KMJqhUpds2
— The Ravens Realm (@RealmRavens) August 1, 2025
But it’s not just the lights. Even the advanced stats paint a lopsided picture. Jackson threw almost 67% of his passes last year, averaged 8.8 yards per pass. And threw only four interceptions in 474 attempts. Love, though effective at times, was less reliable 63.1% completion, 8.0 yards per attempt. And almost three times the picks (11). Jackson also ruled on the ground, with 139 rushing attempts, and a 6.6-yard rushing average per attempt. Love, on the other hand, had only 25 rushing attempts for the entire season.
As expected, the fans scratched their heads after hearing Tannenbaum’s stake. Jackson has already been an MVP, taken Baltimore on several playoff pushes, and produced video-game stats while redefining the quarterback role. Love, on the other hand, is following up a solid first full season as a starter, but he’s still building his resume. The disparity isn’t strictly stats, it’s stakes. One has already shown he can lead a franchise; the other is yet to show he belongs in that category. Hence, the comparison sounded off for many.
Fans go nuclear after ESPN analyst chooses Love over Lamar Jackson
The blowback wasn’t limited to Baltimore. Even fans who typically go after Lamar Jackson were speechless. One commenter penned, “I’m pretty tough on Lamar due to all the overhype he gets but this is just flat out ridiculous,” expressing the feelings of those who criticize Jackson regularly but could not stand up for Mike Tannenbaum’s opinion. Another one went even further: “You know how much I hate Ravens & even I can’t back this dumb s–t. This is f—–g insane.” It wasn’t about Lamar pride; it was about defending common football sense. The notion that Love, following a stellar first season, somehow skipped an entire league MVP season was viewed as a take so wide of the mark that it was something everybody could agree on.
Social media was having a field day with how even the physical environment appeared to be at odds with the remark. “Even the building was disagreeing!” one supporter giggled. Referencing how the studio lights began to flicker just as the remark aired live. That moment memeified, representing how out of touch the segment was with NFL reality. “These men get paid to say stupid s–t,” another watcher posted, mocking ESPN’s on-air authority. It wasn’t a hot take; it was being rendered football heresy, the sort of remark that felt crafted for clicks rather than analysis.
One of the viral statements encapsulated the sentiment to perfection: “Ravens fans have been fighting with Bills fans for 6 months but we never said anything this disrespectful about Lamar lmao.” It wasn’t hyperbole. It was bordering on disrespect. Another added, “This is probably why he’s been fired from both his GM jobs,” citing Tannenbaum’s previous tenures with the Jets and Dolphins. Fans weren’t just standing up for Jackson. They were calling attention to a trend where every offseason, some new quarterback is announced “better than Lamar” without doing anything to deserve it. “Even Jordan love would look at him with sideways,” one commented. That jab stung home—because even Love’s most devoted supporters weren’t asserting he was on Jackson’s plane.
For once, Ravens X and much of the NFL internet agreed: this one comparison went too far!
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