How Long Will Jeff Teat Be On Top?
12/20/2024 02:46 PM
How Long Will Jeff Teat Be On Top?
Jeff Teat being named the number one player in the 2024 PLL Top 50 was inevitable given how dominant he was in a season that will go down as one of the best in professional lacrosse history. His league-leading 64 points weren't just impressive but they were practically unheard of in the PLL. No one had come close to controlling games the way Teat singlehandedly did this season. Whether it was his 28 goals or his league-best 36 assists, he did it all, and he did it at a level that felt impossible to stop. But the question moving forward is, can Teat repeat this success in 2025?
What made Teat's 2024 campaign so unreal wasn't just the goals and assists but the way he achieved such high marks. Every defense knew he was the focal point of the Atlas offense, and every defense failed to slow him down. He faced double teams, constant pressure, and the best defenders in the league week after week, yet his production never dipped. He started the season on an unreal pace and while he slightly slowed down, his bad games would be career best for most players. His ability to still put up numbers that shattered expectations speaks volumes about his understanding of the game which true lacrosse fans saw during the 2023-24 NLL season. Teat has a way of making the impossible look effortless, whether threading a pass through a crowd or finishing with precision in traffic.
The 64 points he put up this season were a testament to his complete mastery of the game as no player in the PLL had ever reached that mark. Teat's 36 assists alone would be enough to place him among the league leaders in points, showing just how valuable his playmaking was to the Atlas. His ability to not just score but also set up his teammates at an elite level made him the heartbeat of an offense that was the most productive in the league. The Atlas finished 7-3, tied for the best record, because Teat didn't just dominate but he made everyone around him better.
Head coach Mike Pressler deserves credit for creating a system that allowed Teat to reach new heights, but it's Teat's own evolution that made this season so special. He fully understood the pace, physicality, and nuances of the PLL, and he used that knowledge to dictate the flow of every game. Teat's chemistry with teammates like Xander Dickson, who scored 24 goals, and Connor Shellenberger, who added 26 points, was evident in every game. The Atlas midfield, led by Bryan Costabile and Dox Aitken, only added to the chaos Teat created for defenses, giving him the perfect cast to support his brilliance.
Teat wasn't just a top player in 2024 but he was playing the game on a completely different level. His 64 points were a signal that Jeff Teat has redefined what is possible in professional lacrosse. It's no wonder he was named number one, and there's little doubt he'll stay there for years to come. As he has proven to understand the game of lacrosse at the highest level in both the field and indoor game, I don’t see any reason that Teat will slow down. Now that Jeff Teat has taken the crown of No.1, it is going to be very difficult for anyone to take that away from him.
