By: Manuel Polanco
Back in 2022, Lamar Jackson was on Lebron James’ interview show, “The Shop,” and noted how racial bias against Black quarterbacks (QBs) still exists in the NFL. Jackson had already won an MVP award when he said this, but felt like he needed to prove himself more.
James noted how racial bias has been historically used against Black QBs, and Jackson responded by saying, “It’s still there. That’s why I need a championship.”
Historically, the NFL has viewed Black QBs through the lens of racially coded stereotypes, and in Jackson’s case, most of his critiques came from that same rhetoric.
This is a two-time MVP winner, yet when he fails, the media talks about him as if he were Jay Cutler, a failed star who couldn’t lead his team to the Lombardi trophy. During the 2025-2026 season, this became more apparent when the media began criticizing everything Jackson did while praising the Buffalo Bills QB, Josh Allen.
When Jackson declared for the draft, many comments about whether he could transition into a QB position loomed. Critics thought he would play better at the running back position (he won the Heisman trophy as a QB), showcasing the racially coded language aimed at diminishing his success. But this is the NFL we’re talking about, a notorious racist organization that blackballed Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the anthem, in protest of police brutality and racial justice in America.
It’s glaring how Jackson’s faults are put front and center for everyone to see, so those who hate on him can feel vindicated in whatever criticisms they have.
This is where Josh Allen comes into play. The former MVP is often glamorized or propped up as the NFL’s golden boy who can do no wrong, seen as the face of the league.
Both Jackson and Allen have failed to make deep playoff runs in their careers, as the Kansas City powerhouse was in the midst of their dynasty run. Allen’s kryptonite was the Chiefs; he faced them three times and lost all three times.
He got close in the 2021 AFC divisional game as the game went into overtime, but lost because of an old overtime rule that stated any touchdown called in the game. Allen was upset with this rule because it didn’t give the opposing side a chance, and the rule was changed because of him (pay attention to this).
What I mean when I say that Josh Allen is the NFL’s golden boy is that he’s the favorite. No real criticism comes his way, and the league more often than not posts him more than they do other QBs. Allen had an easy ride to the Super Bowl this year, no Mahomes, no Kansas City Chiefs.
The Bills were set to face off against the Denver Broncos and Bo Nix in the 2026 AFC divisional game. What should have been an easy win for the Bills turned into an embarrassing performance, especially from Josh Allen.
Allen finished the game with a 47.7 QB rating, three touchdowns, and two interceptions that led to the Broncos coming back in the game. He fumbled the ball three times while only completing 64% of his passes. But why is this important?
Allen was scrutinized more by social media than actual sports media; ESPN posted a postgame clip of Allen talking to the media and crying, noting how upset he looks, former player and analyst Chase Daniel, posts on his twitter talking about Allen in a sympathetic tone, noting how it’s the same ending for Allen every year and how sorry he feels for him, also noting to forget the key turnovers that led to the Bills to blow the game.
Many fans were quick to point out that if it were Lamar who had a game like this, then he would’ve been dragged through the mud. They would be right in that assertion because, looking at Lamar’s postseason record of 1-3, he is often criticized for his playoff losses, but these are team stats collectively.
One of the polarizing moments in Jackson’s playoff career was during the 2025 AFC divisional game against none other than Josh Allen and the Bills. The game was 25-27 in the fourth quarter with a minute and 30 seconds left; all he needed to do was complete the two-point conversion to tie the game.
Jackson passes it to teammate Mark Andrews, and he drops the ball, sealing a loss for the Ravens. Jackson did the best he could and still couldn’t get through that hump, again getting mass critiques for things he could not control. When you’re a two-time MVP and one of the best QBs of the late 2010s and 2020s, what more do you have to prove?
This all comes to a head during the 2025-2026 season, and the Ravens are in disarray. A disappointing season and one where Jackson dealt with hefty injuries, yet through it all, he still went out and played the best football he could. All the team’s troubles were blamed on him.
Fans online accused him of quitting on his team after a staggering 37-20 loss by the Chiefs. And even questioned by the media about it. Lamar responded by saying, “I was really hurt. I don’t know why I got to be questioned about or hear about. I never quit on my team before, I never quit anything, to be honest with you. I don’t know where that noise came from.”
Yet during the last game of the season, he suited up, still injured, and tried to get the Ravens to the playoffs after an injury-prone season.