Dan Orlovsky is feeling remorseful. A day after labeling the detractors of Lamar Jackson and those blaming the Baltimore Ravens QB and Mark Andrews for their 27-25 loss as “losers,” Orlovsky is taking a different stance. On Tuesday’s First Take, he issued a public apology and explained his passionate defense of Jackson and Andrews during the Buffalo Bills’ advancement to the AFC Championship Game. “I probably shouldn’t have said ‘loser’ there in that tweet,” he said. “I was in the moment, in the game, so I apologize for that. I shouldn’t do that and call people that.”
Orlovsky elaborated on his criticism of Mark Andrews, stating, “My reference to Mark wasn’t about, like, yes, we were very critical. Obviously, that drop — I was watching people just attack him, the person, and trash him the person. That’s why I said that about Mark. Of course, we have eyeballs. Those plays matter.” He acknowledged he anticipated the postgame reaction, knowing the media would overanalyze the quarterbacks’ performances, a concern recently highlighted by Aaron Rodgers, who condemned the media’s tendency to sensationalize losses.
“I’ve done this when I was younger in the business, as well,” Orlovsky reflected. “We can go on the next day and be critical of the person — and not celebrate the failure. I have done that years ago, and I didn’t want to be a part of that.” He expressed agreement with Stephen A. Smith on the matter, admitting, “That’s 100 percent on me, in the way that I kind of phrased that. I apologize to people for kind of using that word, ‘loser.’ That’s not okay.” However, he emphasized the importance of maintaining the conversation about fairness in criticism. “It’s hard to be a little bit overly critical in that moment of Lamar if I’m just being real. And it’s our job.”
Orlovsky’s personal connection to the players plays a significant role in his perspective. “You know how much winning the Super Bowl matters to him, both for his career and legacy,” he shared. “So, when you see him make those mistakes in the playoffs again, it rips at you. I wish you didn’t have that fumble because, then, we are having a different conversation.”
Dan Orlovsky apologizes for referring to Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews’ critics as “losers.”
“I shouldn’t do that and call people that… it’s hard to be a little bit overly critical in that moment of Lamar, if I’m just being real — and it’s our job — but having talked with… https://t.co/uOW7JH19Wi pic.twitter.com/axJEXYSEU3
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 21, 2025
For Orlovsky, the challenge lies in balancing analysis with fairness. His defense of Jackson is not an attempt to evade critique but rather to ensure players aren’t solely defined by their failures, a view that has drawn both praise and accusations of bias from colleagues like Smith and Shannon Sharpe. Orlovsky believes that fostering honest, critical discussions means avoiding cruelty, a principle he admits he hasn’t always upheld perfectly but is determined to respect. Does labeling someone a “loser” violate that principle? The answer likely varies depending on who you ask, but Orlovsky appeared genuinely remorseful about his choice of words.
This public apology is not Orlovsky’s first encounter with backlash, especially from NFL fans regarding his opinions on Jackson and Josh Allen. He has voiced strong feelings that Allen deserved the NFL MVP over Jackson this season, a position that has not usually resonated well with Ravens fans and others engaging with his content. In fact, when he called the Ravens’ game against the Cleveland Browns in early January, the intensity of the crowd chanting “M-V-P” left him feeling targeted as much as celebrated among Jackson supporters.
As he continues to clarify his stance, Orlovsky feels the weight of the backlash that has persisted throughout the season.
