In a recent episode of The 25 10 Show, former NFL stars LeSean “Shady” McCoy and DeSean Jackson didn’t hold back in their brutal assessment of Trevor Lawrence, calling out the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback after the team’s disappointing start. McCoy, known for his unfiltered takes, led the charge, calling Lawrence’s performance “garbage” and questioning why the Jaguars paid him $55 million a year.
DeSean Jackson opened the critique, stating: “That QB over there playing terrible.” McCoy quickly doubled down, responding with: “Hot garbage.”
LeSean McCoy and Desean Jackson Question Lawrence’s Massive Payday
Lawrence, who signed a five-year, $275 million contract this past summer, was supposed to be the franchise’s savior. Coming off a 9-8 season in 2022 where the Jaguars won the AFC South and staged an epic 31-30 comeback against the Chargers in the playoffs, expectations for the young quarterback were sky-high.
However, after a promising 8-3 start to the 2023 campaign, things have taken a sharp turn for the worse, with the Jaguars going 3 – 11 over their last 14 games, dating back to last season.
Jackson added to the conversation, saying: “You go out there and pay that man all that money, and it looks like he’s in his first year.”
McCoy didn’t hesitate to elaborate: “First of all, I don’t think he’s that good for one… How do you justify paying him that kind of money when he leads the league in turnovers? That’s crazy to me.”
The numbers seem to back up McCoy’s criticism. Since entering the league in 2021, Lawrence has committed nearly 50 turnovers, including 43 interceptions and six lost fumbles. While his current stats this season—1835 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and four interceptions—aren’t terrible, they fail to reflect the level of play expected from a quarterback with one of the largest contracts in NFL history.
High School Hype
McCoy took things further by questioning the hype that has surrounded the 2021 first-overall pick since his high school days.
“If his last name was Jackson, not Lawrence, we wouldn’t even be talking about him,” he added. “He’s been hyped up since high school, went to Clemson, played with great players, and people were talking like he was the next big thing. But now we’re seeing who he really is.”
Doug Pederson: Is He Stuck with Lawrence?
Head coach Doug Pederson, who coached Jackson and McCoy with the Philadelphia Eagles, now finds himself in a difficult position.
McCoy speculated that Pederson might not even be fully on board with Lawrence’s massive contract: “I think Doug’s hands are tied. They paid Lawrence all this money, and now they can’t bench him, even if they wanted to. You can’t bench a quarterback making $55 million a year.”
Despite his struggles, the Jaguars seem committed to him—at least financially. But with Jacksonville’s season quickly slipping away, the pressure on Lawrence to justify his contract is mounting.
Is Trevor Lawrence Worth the Investment?
As the conversation wrapped up, LeSean McCoy added: “I asked people what makes him special, and nobody can ever give me a concrete answer on what makes him special. I watch the games, bro, he’s playing terrible at quarterback, he’s not reading well, bad feet in the pocket.”
Jackson agreed, stating: “Right now, we don’t see the bright side of Trevor Lawrence, to keep it honest.”
The future of Lawrence and the Jaguars looks uncertain as the once-promising quarterback faces mounting criticism and the weight of high expectations. Only time will tell if he can turn things around—or if his contract will become one of the league’s biggest financial missteps.
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