Owings Mills, Maryland — Baltimore Ravens Coach John Harbaugh concluded the first practice of training camp Sunday with an impassioned defense of his quarterback. Lamar Jackson.
When asked about criticism of the NFL’s reigning Most Valuable Player not making it to the Super Bowl, Harbaugh delivered an emotional 2:43-second response.
“There’s a lot of great things being said about Lamar, but there’s also a lot of things that make you scratch your head and wonder, ‘What is this guy thinking?'” Harbaugh said Sunday. “But we take it personally.”
In February, at age 27, Jackson became the youngest two-time NFL MVP since the AFL merger. Since 2018, he has led Baltimore to the NFL’s best record in 2019 (14-2) and 2023 (13-4) with a regular-season record of 58-19 (.753), the second-best in the league.
But Jackson struggled in the postseason, losing four of six playoff games, including a 17-10 loss last season. Kansas City Chiefs In the AFC Championship Game, Jackson completed 54 percent of his passes (20 of 37) and committed two turnovers.
“Lamar Jackson is a guy who’s been answering the same questions his whole life,” Harbaugh said. “I’m talking since he was a kid: middle school, high school, college, the draft. [NFL]and it still happens.
“Yes, he’s still growing. He has a growth mindset. He’s definitely going to get better and better. But what does he have to do to prove himself to some people? Right?”
Since being the last pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Jackson has become the best dual-threat quarterback in NFL history, rushing for more yards than any quarterback through his first six seasons (5,258) and throwing 125 touchdown passes in 77 starts.
But Harbaugh has even higher expectations for Jackson. Last week, he told Jackson his dream is to become the greatest quarterback of all time.
Harbaugh reiterated that point to reporters on Sunday.
“The vision that we all have together is for Lamar Jackson to be known and recognized as the greatest quarterback in the history of the NFL,” Harbaugh said. “And that’s going to happen because of Lamar, his work ethic and his incredible talent, and all of us putting in the effort together as a team, and by the grace of God and God’s goodness.”
Jackson didn’t get to hear Harbaugh’s words of praise because before practice Sunday, he was told by the team doctor to return home due to illness.
“He just started getting sick. [Saturday] Noon during the meeting [and] “He was just a little bit off,” Harbaugh said, “so he played today and tried to rest, stay hydrated and stuff. He just wasn’t feeling well.”
With Jackson out, the Ravens turned to the 38-year-old journeyman. Josh Johnson He directs the first team’s attack.
On Saturday, the Ravens tight ends Mark Andrews He called Jackson “the most special player in the world.”
When asked how the criticism has affected Jackson, Andrews replied, “He’s dealt with these things growing up and throughout his life. What stands out about him is he has incredible faith and belief in God, himself and his teammates. It’s easier to get through things when you have faith in something else. It’s also easier to help others carry that burden. He does a great job of being himself and not letting the outside noise affect him.”
