NFL players react to the start of NFL 100

The NFL Network began its yearly countdown of the Top 100 players in the league. Players are starting to react.

My family just finished a wonderful week down in the Outer Banks, a socially-distanced vacation of course. During the hours spent on the beach taking in the sun and collecting sea shells, my wife spent some time catching up on some celebrity magazines. One of her favorites, “Us Weekly,” has a section titled “Stars, they’re just like us!” In that section various celebrities are photographed doing everyday things like pumping gas, picking up takeout, and wearing masks.

If anyone wanted to create a version of that concept, they could start here: “NFL Players, they’re just like us: They overreact to rankings!”

Those of us who cover the game, or love the game (or both!) spend way too much time on Twitter and elsewhere overreacting to rankings. Whether they are Madden ratings, Pro Football Focus rankings, the Touchdown Wire Top 101, or in recent hours, the NFL Network’s list of the game’s Top 100 players. The NFL Network released the first group of names on Sunday night, and players themselves took to Twitter to react.

One of the more notable names to make his case on social media is Los Angeles Chargers wideout Keenan Allen. First was his initial reaction:

But the wideout was not done. It was time to hit that @ button:

Credit to Allen for tagging Mike Evans and Tyreek Hill in defense of himself, but you have to feel for Chris Goodwin. Not the Tampa Bay WR, but rather the professional business trainer who has not tweeted since 2013.

Evans did not pass up the chance to respond:

Nor did Godwin:

Of course, not everyone was as frustrated as Allen. Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey cracked the Top 100 for the first time in his career and was appreciative of the recognition:

Humphrey also took the time to point out that this was a dream of his dating back a few years:

As the NFL Network continues to work through this list, expect more reactions from players. After all, they’re just like us!