Bernard Pollard has not played in the NFL in over seven years, but the former defensive back managed to catch the attention of Lamar Jackson in a big way.
A lot was made this week of Jackson not being voted a top-10 quarterback in an ESPN poll of NFL players, coaches and executives . Several analysts and former players blasted the voters for snubbing Jackson. Pollard, who played safety in the NFL for nine seasons, agreed with the rankings. He said Jackson is a top-10 talent but not a top-10 quarterback. Pollard also said top wide receivers do not want to play for the Baltimore Ravens because of Jackson.
Jackson did not appreciate Pollard’s analysis. The former NFL MVP fired back and basically called Pollard a no-name who rode the coattails of Hall of Famers like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed.
It didn’t end there. Jackson and Pollard exchanged too many unpleasantries to list, but here are some of the highlights:
Pollard was a starter for the Ravens when they won the Super Bowl in 2012. He never made a Pro Bowl during his career, but he was a solid player. He is also known for being a New England Patriot killer, as he was the defender who tore Tom Brady’s ACL with a low hit in 2009. That led to the NFL implementing the “Brady Rule.” Years later, Pollard’s tackle on Rob Gronkowski in the playoffs resulted in a severely sprained ankle for the star tight end. Gronk was impacted by the injury in Super Bowl XLVI, which the Patriots lost to the New York Giants.
Between his entertaining feud with Pollard and the profile change that sent Ravens fans into a frenzy, Jackson is creating quite the buzz lately on social media.
More must-reads: