Stephen A. Smith questioned John Harbaugh’s recent comments about Lamar Jackson critics.
The Baltimore Ravens head coach made headlines by saying his goal is to help Jackson become the “greatest quarterback ever.” Harbaugh also said the team is motivated to prove Jackson’s doubters wrong.
“There’s a lot of great things said about Lamar, but there’s a lot of stuff that’s said that you just got to scratch your head about and kind of wonder, ‘What’s that person even thinking?'” Harbaugh said Sunday, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “But we take it personally.”
On his first day back from a vacation, Smith started Monday’s First Take by challenging Harbaugh’s comments.
“Well, first of all, I would appreciate if he didn’t make up narratives,” Smith said, via Awful Announcing. “Because what he was saying was a lie. And No. 2, I’d like for him to look in the mirror … Respectfully, Coach Harbaugh, what the h*ll are you talking about? What is this critique and criticism of Lamar Jackson? Where is it coming from?”
Smith argued that the only knock anyone has against Jackson is his lack of postseason success. He noted that Jackson is the only one of nine two-time MVPs yet to win a Super Bowl.
Earlier this year, Smith panned the quarterback’s “choke job” in Baltimore’s AFC Championship Game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
“That is all we say. Nobody questions his ability,” Smith claimed. “We used to question his ability to throw the football — that’s been thrown out the window. We know how electrifying and mercurial of an athlete and the talent and a runner at the quarterback position that he is.”
Although he was concerned about Jackson representing himself in free agency, Smith knew the “elite” quarterback would receive a massive payday.
“But at the end of the day, we looked at him and nobody questioned that he deserved his money,” Smith said. “Nobody questioned his greatness as a quarterback. Nobody questioned anything other than the fact that you have not won a Super Bowl.”
Smith then turned his attention to Harbaugh for not leading a superstar quarterback to more playoff wins.
“You’re talking about the audience out there and them talking about Lamar Jackson. No sir, we’re talking about you,” Smith said, pointing to the camera. “Because you have Lamar Jackson. Why do you only have three playoff victories in the last 11 years?”
Related: Stephen A. Smith Destroys Lamar Jackson For ‘Choking’ On Sunday