Lamar Jackson dropped 67 spots on the NFL Top 100. His response was exactly what you’d expect.

The NFL Top 100 list came out with its latest batch of rankings Tuesday, and Ravens fans probably needed a second to process what they saw. Lamar Jackson, the guy who was voted the second-best player in the league just a year ago, landed at No. 69 this time around. That’s a drop of 67 spots, which is hard to ignore even if you’re the one taking the hit.

Jackson’s reaction? About what you’d expect from a quarterback who’s been through a brutal season and doesn’t have time for internet arguments. “I play football, I don’t care about rankings,” he told Ben Hall of 105.7 The Fan. Short, direct, and exactly the kind of answer that makes you think he meant every word of it.

The numbers tell part of the story

Last season, Jackson put up 2,549 passing yards and 21 touchdowns in 13 games. Those aren’t bad numbers for a guy dealing with knee, toe, and ankle injuries that kept him from ever really getting comfortable. The Ravens finished 8-9, second in the AFC North, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2021. A lot of that falls on the quarterback, fair or not.

But here’s the thing — Jackson is still a top-tier QB when he’s healthy. The league’s list this year has him behind 68 other players, which includes running backs, wide receivers, edge rushers, and at least a few quarterbacks who haven’t done what Jackson did in his first few seasons. The NFL started rolling out the Top 100 on June 22 and won’t finish until September 4, so we’re only seeing the bottom half so far. The No. 1 spot is still up in the air.

The contract situation adds another layer

Jackson is playing out the last two years of his current deal, which pays him $52 million annually. According to reports, he’s expected to sign a lucrative extension with the Ravens at some point, but he’s not in a rush. He also has a no-tag clause in his contract, which means he could hit free agency in 2028 without the Ravens being able to franchise him. That’s leverage, and he knows it.

So when Jackson says he doesn’t care about rankings, it’s probably true. The guy has a Super Bowl window, a massive contract, and a team that needs him healthy. The NFL Top 100 list is a popularity contest dressed up as analysis, and Jackson’s focus is on the field. The Ravens haven’t confirmed any extension talks beyond the usual speculation, but the clock is ticking on both sides.

For now, Jackson will keep doing what he does. Rankings change. Contracts get signed. But the dude who threw for 36 touchdowns in his MVP season? He’s still in there somewhere.