If we remade “Love Island” into an NFL version where drama and relationships evolve between quarterbacks and their wide receivers, Thursday would be the climactic episode of the offseason.
Former Kansas City Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill in a new podcast ripped his former quarterback Patrick Mahomes, calling Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa a more accurate passer than the Super Bowl MVP.
Mahomes played it off well, surprised at the beef that he didn’t know existed.
There were more heartwarming moments between an NFL signal caller and receiver though. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson awaits a new contract, but his spirit was positive Thursday when he met with reporters to express the hope he’ll never leave his current team.
It was all love even though the Ravens this offseason traded his top wide receiver, Hollywood Brown, to the Arizona Cardinals.
“I was kind of, like, hurt because that’s my boy,” Jackson said. “It’s all good, like I said, it’s part of the business.”
It was not only hurtful but surprising.
Jackson admitted that head coach John Harbaugh even gave him a heads up that Brown was on the trading block.
“Coach called me. It was after a workout and … I was just listening to him. (They were) like, ‘We’re thinking about trading’ and stuff like that,” Jackson explained. “I didn’t buy into it, you know. It’s just conversation.
“When it actually happened, I’m like, what the f –? But it’s all good. It’s part of the business.”
It sure is, Lamar.
Lamar Jackson on finding out Hollywood Brown was being traded #Ravens pic.twitter.com/fYY3uy0CpJ
— Jordan Dajani (@JordanDajani) June 16, 2022
Even more hurtful for Jackson: Brown is probably better friends with Kyler Murray.
Baltimore dealt Brown and the 100th overall selection to Arizona for the No. 23 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. It made a lot of sense beyond Cardinals No. 1 receiver DeAndre Hopkins being suspended for the first six games of 2022.
The trade reunited the Oklahoma Sooners product with his college quarterback, Murray, who along with Jackson is in the spotlight this offseason because of their open-ended contracts.
So was there any bad blood between Jackson and Brown, the latter of whom may have had a gripe playing in one of the NFL’s most run-heavy offenses that also saw tight end Mark Andrews lead the team in targets, receptions and receiving yards?
“Uh, I don’t really remember because we be most of the time partying after the games — in a car, I’m saying, not partying literally,” Jackson said. “But we in the car partying. We be listening to music going home. So not really.”