NFL Top 100 Players List Sparks Heated Debate Over Rankings

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The NFL has certainly made waves by unveiling the top 10 players in their 2025 list; fans of NFL are already engaged in fierce debates and controversies. The rankings have received backlash for putting Lamar Jackson in second place, behind Patrick Mahomes, especially noting that Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jalen Hurts was not even in the top 10, along with MVP winner, Josh Allen, who was placed third.

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Allow me to emphasize: the list of players—most especially of the NFL—is guaranteed to stir issues. People wanted to poke holes at the NFL for removing some of the top players from the Top 100, but they did it anyway. Of course, the public had a lot to say.

The talk joined the quarterbacks. The order was difficult to understand for many, especially the second spot being given to Lamar Jackson, and the third spot going to the league MVP, Allen. The MVP is in third place. Both the winning of the MVP and the placing of the MVP are clearly not agreeable. I do not understand the person saying, “Lamar over Allen is a joke,” and the one saying “So the MVP comes in third? Just shows it was a ‘here damn’ award 😂😂.” The reasoning behind this is truly unclear.

And then there was Jalen Hurts. Always debating football is ESPN and NBC, yet the powerhouse “the Eagles” comfortably sitting in the championship shouldn’t be up for debate. Completely not making the top ten is precisely the reason why one commenter said “It crazy the amount of QBs in the top 10 yet the Super Bowl winning QB is not there.” That was a jab.

It was not only the quarterbacks. Defensive stars’ ranking and cuts out of the list also drew outrage. With Justin Jefferson ranking ninth, fans called him “actual fucking comedy,” and even suggested that the exclusion of T.J. Watt was unfair in favor of Myles Garrett. “No offense to Myles Garrett,” one post started off, “but how tf did PS2 win DPOY and not get best defensive player on this list?” Seems legit. If you actually win Defensive Player of the Year, doesn’t it make sense that you would be, you know, the top defender on the list?

At least, there was one way to contain the outrage: looking forward. One post even praised the younger players, “Aiden will be top 10 next year imo. He was the leading rusher last season 2 months after having a season ending injury. That’s how long it took for the next guy to catch up, an absolute monster.” The optimism never stops in the football community.

Then there was the fan who shared the Jalen Hurts quote and other fans who spoke about JJ’s comments “had Joey B he would be in a whole different universe as WR1.” It is always spicy—or as I like to say, controversial—when they debate if someone is only good because of their quarterback.

Take a look at players 10-1 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2025. (THREAD ⬇️) pic.twitter.com/NAtnl7TIS8

— NFL (@NFL) September 2, 2025

Amid much shouting, one or two individuals tried to add some reason. One individual mentioned, “Winning DPOY doesn’t automatically make you the best defensive player. Everyone knows Myles is the best defensive player in the league,” which, to be honest, other commenters appreciated more than the original DPOY talk. The other person remarked that All-Pro selections and playoff performances should be considered more than popularity.

This is why I think it’s a good thing these lists are made; as we saw, people tend to engage with it, and they did so with plenty of shouting and the liberal use of emojis. Something that is apparent, be it you agree with the lists or you consider them insane, is fans of the NFL academy do care. The amount of energy fans bring is what enables the league the buzz at all times.

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Unlike the rankings which serve as a means of categorization, the rankings are so much more. They are issued as challenges. They take us back to good moments and stir the expectation of good moments to come. The NFL makes a list; the fans answer. It is a battle of words, and it is settled on the field.