Lamar Jackson criticism already starting and it's just NFL OTAs, we break it down. | The Pivot

TL;DR

The Pivot crew argues Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts face racially biased media scrutiny despite elite credentials that exceed most of their NFL peers.

Key Points

• 1.OTA criticism of Lamar Jackson is unfair because attendance is literally optional. OTAs stand for 'Optional Training Activities,' making his absence a non-issue, yet media framed it as a dedication problem heading into his ninth NFL season.
• 2.Lamar Jackson's résumé dwarfs the criticism directed at him. He holds two MVP awards, three first-team All-Pro selections, an 80+ win record, and yet faces more scrutiny than Josh Allen, who shares a nearly identical 69% win rate and has only one MVP.
• 3.The crew argues race is the core driver of differential coverage. They cite historical precedent with Randall Cunningham and Michael Vick, noting Warren Moon is the only Black QB who escaped this pattern, and directly contrast Lamar's coverage with Josh Allen's.
• 4.Jalen Hurts receives the same racially skewed treatment despite superior team results. Hurts has two Super Bowl appearances, one Super Bowl MVP, and more playoff wins than quarterbacks like Jared Goff, Justin Herbert, and Joe Burrow, yet anonymous-source hit pieces still target him.
• 5.The panel concludes both QBs should simply ignore narratives and play their game. They argue the only three QBs who combine a Super Bowl ring and an NFL MVP — Mahomes, Rodgers, Stafford — are the only ones who should face less criticism; everyone else, including Lamar and Hurts, deserves equal or lesser scrutiny based on their individual accomplishments.