Jalen Ramsey is the league’s best trash talker. Unfortunately, fans rarely get a chance to hear the Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback’s in-game bon mots. But thanks to an extremely entertaining interview with GQ, we now know what the 23-year-old Pro Bowler thinks about the NFL’s quarterbacks. Mostly, he thinks they’re bad at playing football.
Ramsey initiated the discussion by unloading on Buffalo Bills first-rounder Josh Allen. “He’s trash,” Ramsey said. “And it’s gonna show too. That’s a stupid draft pick to me. We play them this year, and I’m excited as hell. I hope he’s their starting quarterback.” (When reporters asked Allen about Ramsey’s comments at practice on Wednesday, he said, “I don’t care. It doesn’t bother me.”)
Ramsey’s trash talk is vicious, but is it true? Let’s walk through his evaluations, one by one.
Joe Flacco
I played him two years in a row. He sucks.
Fact check: True and false. Statistically, Flacco is one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL. His haircuts have been steadily improving, however.
Aaron Rodgers
Does not [suck].
Fact check: True.
Tom Brady
Doesn’t [suck].
Fact check: True. The five-time Super Bowl winner doesn’t suck.
Marcus Mariota
I think Marcus Mariota is a great quarterback for their team.
Fact check: True. Mariota threw 13 touchdowns and 15 interceptions last season. That’s unimpressive, but so were the Titans. He’s a perfect fit for that team.
Tyrod Taylor
I think Tyrod Taylor is actually a better quarterback than he gets credit for, because he does not make mistakes.
Fact check: True. Taylor led the Buffalo Bills to their first playoff berth since 1999 and threw only four interceptions during the regular season. Despite this, Taylor’s coach benched him for Nathan Peterman in Week 11. If you favor Nathan Peterman over someone, then you are, by definition, giving them the least amount of credit possible.
Jimmy Garoppolo
I don’t know yet … if you know how to work within your scheme then it means you’re good. I guess you could say he’s good.
Fact check: True. Garoppolo has only started seven games in his entire career.
Deshaun Watson (and Carson Wentz)
[Watson will] be the league MVP in a couple years. One hundred percent. There’s not even a debate about that. Him and Carson Wentz, for every year starting now until five to ten years, it’s gonna be them two. They’re that good.
Fact check: True. I crowned Watson as the best player of all time after just six starts last season, and I stand by that decision. Wentz, meanwhile, was Super Bowl–adjacent, which is impressive in its own right.
Jared Goff
He’s average to above average.
Fact check: True. His 28 touchdowns and 7 interceptions last year were better than most of the league. Ramsey covered his bases by calling Goff “average to above average,” so this checks out.
Dak Prescott
He’s good. He’s alright. He’s okay. I’ll put it that way.
Fact check: True. He’s OK, I guess.
Kirk Cousins
I think he’s good. I think he’s a winner.
Fact check: False. Kirk Cousins’ career regular season record is 26-30-1 (the first number is wins).
Derek Carr
I think he’s good.
Fact check: True. Derek Carr is good enough to play professional football, which is rather impressive, if you think about it.
Eli Manning
I won’t say Eli’s good.
Fact check: True. It is actually against the law to say that Eli Manning is good.
Russell Wilson
I think Russell is good. I think he’s just a really good leader too.
Fact check: True. Wilson is a very good quarterback. He is also a short weirdo, and if 19th-century French history is any indication, this means he has the makings of a great leader.
Ben Roethlisberger
I think he’s decent at best. … Big Ben slings the ball a lot of the time. He just slings it, and his receivers go get it.
Fact check: True. When Roethlisberger throws passes, his receivers often catch them.
Blake Bortles
Blake do what he gotta do.
Fact check: True. Blake Bortles is paid to be the Jacksonville Jaguars’ quarterback, and he certainly shows up to games and participates in accordance with the demands of his contract.
Nick Foles
He won them a Super Bowl so he’s good enough to do that.
Fact check: True!
Drew Brees
I think Drew Brees [is] really good, even at this age.
Fact check: True. Brees turned 39 last season, and it’s impressive for someone that age to simply stay in decent shape and make new friends, let alone pass for 4,334 yards with a new-look offense.
Andrew Luck
I don’t really think he’s that good.
Fact check: True. A mysterious shoulder injury has hobbled Luck for two straight years. Good quarterbacks need to be able to throw.
Ryan Tannehill
I don’t know much about him. I haven’t heard the greatest of stuff about him but I don’t know him personally so I can’t tell you. I don’t watch their games either.
Fact check: True. Tannehill missed all last season after tearing his ACL, so no one knows much about him, nor does anyone watch Miami Dolphins games.
Matt Ryan
I think Matt Ryan’s overrated.
Fact check: False, though I am working my way through his career on my DVR, game by game, and haven’t quite caught up to the present day. I’m at Super Bowl LI right now and he just threw a touchdown pass to Tevin Coleman to give the Falcons an insurmountable 28–3 lead over the Patriots in the third quarter. Looks pretty good!
Mitchell Trubisky
[Ramsey doesn’t mention Trubisky at all during the GQ interview]
Fact check: Ramsey is terrified of he second-year Bears quarterback and his blistering 59 percent completion rate.
Colin Kaepernick
He’s way better than some of these second string quarterbacks out here. Possibly better than some of these first string quarterbacks out here. … He’s definitely good enough to be in the league, but he won’t be. Sadly.
Fact check: True. Very, very true.
