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 Jackson with the Ravens in 2020 | |||||||||||||||||
| No. 8 – Baltimore Ravens | |||||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born: | January 7, 1997 Pompano Beach, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school: | Boynton Beach Community (Boynton Beach, Florida) | ||||||||||||||||
| College: | Louisville (2015–2017) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 32 | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 18, 2023 | |||||||||||||||||
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Lamar Demeatrice Jackson Jr. (born January 7, 1997) is an American football quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Louisville Cardinals, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2016, and was selected by the Ravens with the final pick (No. 32) in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft. Intended to serve as a backup in his rookie season, Jackson became the Ravens' starting quarterback after an injury to the incumbent Joe Flacco. He went on to clinch a division title with the team and became the youngest NFL quarterback to start a playoff game at age 21.[1]
Known for having a dual-threat playstyle, Jackson led the 2019 season in touchdown passes while setting the single-season record in rushing yards at the position.[2][3][4] For his success, Jackson became the second unanimous NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP)[5][6][7] and the fourth black quarterback to win the award.[a][8] Jackson followed up his MVP campaign by becoming the first quarterback to have multiple seasons with 1,000 rushing yards and led the Ravens to a third consecutive playoff appearance.[9] Following the 2022 season, he signed a five-year contract worth $260 million.[10] In 2023, Jackson led the Ravens to the top seed in the conference and was named the NFL MVP for the second time.
Early life
Lamar Demeatrice Jackson Jr. was born to Felicia Jones and Lamar Jackson Sr. on January 7, 1997.[11] He grew up in the center of an economically distressed section of Pompano Beach, Florida. Jackson's father died from a heart attack on the same day his grandmother died in 2005, when he was eight years old. Jackson, his younger brother, and two younger sisters were raised by their mother.[12][13][14]
Jackson attended public schools and played Pop Warner football in the same Florida league with future teammate Marquise Brown.[15][14] When he was eight years old, Jackson could throw a football 20 yards.[14]
High school career
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Lamar Jackson high school football highlights YouTube video |
Jackson started his high school football career relatively late, not being on a team until his junior year of high school.[16] Jackson attended Santaluces for his first two years of high school, before transferring to Boynton Beach High School in Boynton Beach, Florida.[16][17] While there, Jackson was a successful read-option quarterback who could run and throw the ball equally well. He improved passing accuracy and decision-making by watching hours of film each week.[18] In two years at Boynton Beach, Jackson threw for 2,263 yards and 31 touchdowns with nine interceptions. He also ran for 1,624 yards and 22 touchdowns, and had a quarterback rating of 102.7.[19] A touchdown highlight Jackson scored against Village Academy went viral online,[20] with The Palm Beach Post's Ryan DiPentima detailing:
Without any passing options down field, the dynamic QB rolled to his right, pump faked at the line of scrimmage and then took off for the end zone. He pointed at a Village Academy defender while beating him to the edge and then cut up field. Then, as another defender came flying in to make a tackle at the goal line, he hit the breaks. He just ... stopped. As the defender flew by him, Jackson strutted into the end zone and threw his hands up.[16]
Jackson's last high school game came against a nationally ranked Miami Central High School team during the first round of the 2014 Florida High School Football Playoff 6A tournament. Boynton Beach was soundly defeated 49–6, with Jackson throwing two interceptions.[21] He also competed for his high school track team, posting a personal record of 11.45 seconds in the 100 meter dash in one track meet.[22] Jackson was named the Lou Groza Palm Beach County High School Player of the Year in 2014.[23]
Recruiting
Jackson was rated three stars by ESPN.com and 247Sports, but four stars by Rivals.com.[24] Despite the disagreement by recruiting companies over his caliber, he received offers from both Power Five schools like Louisville, Florida, Auburn, and Clemson, and mid-major programs like Akron, Western Kentucky, and Marshall.[25] All of the major recruiting companies listed Jackson as a top 20 dual-threat quarterback, with 247Sports ranking him as high as #12.[26] Jackson's in-state ranking also varied greatly, from as high as #51 from Rivals to as low as #80 by ESPN. Jackson visited only four schools (Louisville, Florida, Nebraska, and Mississippi State), and, after it appeared he might sign with Florida, Jackson ultimately committed to the University of Louisville. Head coach Bobby Petrino promised Jackson's mother that her son would be playing quarterback and nothing else.[13][27][28]
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar Jackson QB |
Boynton Beach, FL | Boynton Beach Community (FL) | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | Aug 30, 2014 | |
Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 79
| ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: N/A Rivals: N/A 247Sports: 409 ESPN: N/A | ||||||
Sources:
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| Season | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Comp | Att | Pct | Yards | TD | Int | Rate | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | |
| 2013 | 9 | 9 | 70 | 163 | 42.9 | 1,264 | 19 | 6 | 93.7 | 102 | 960 | 9.4 | 10 |
| 2014 | 7 | 7 | 53 | 98 | 54.1 | 999 | 12 | 3 | 116.5 | 90 | 664 | 7.4 | 12 |
| Career | 16 | 16 | 123 | 261 | 47.1 | 2,263 | 31 | 9 | 102.7 | 192 | 1,624 | 8.5 | 22 |
College career
2015 season
As a freshman at Louisville in 2015 (he was a communications major[29]), Jackson played in 12 games and made eight starts in the Cardinals' 8–5 season.[30] One of those starts was Louisville's first game of the season against #6 Auburn. On the first play of the game, Jackson threw an interception[31][32] and Louisville ultimately lost that game 31–24 with Jackson rushing for 106 yards. During the season, he completed 135-of-247 passes for 1,840 yards with 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions and ran for 960 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns.[33][34] Jackson was named the MVP of the 2015 Music City Bowl after passing for 227 yards with two touchdowns and rushing for a Music City Bowl-record 226 yards and two touchdowns.[35][36]
2016 season
During the first game of his sophomore year, against the Charlotte 49ers, Jackson set a university record for total touchdowns with eight, all of them in the first half.[37] Against Syracuse, Jackson completed 20 of 39 passes for 411 yards, a touchdown, and an interception to go along with 199 rushing yards and four touchdowns, with all five touchdowns coming in the first half as the Cardinals routed the Orange 62–28.[38] One of those touchdowns came when he hurdled over a Syracuse defender into the end zone.[39]
Against #2 Florida State, Jackson completed 13-of-20 passes for 216 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in addition to 146 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He scored four of the five total touchdowns in the first half in a 63–20 rout of the Seminoles, the most points that the Seminoles had ever surrendered at the time.[39] The game made Jackson the Heisman front runner,[40] and gave the Cardinals a #3 ranking, their highest since 2006.[41][42] Against Marshall, Jackson completed 24 of 44 passes for 417 yards and five touchdowns, and had 62 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.[43] Against #5 Clemson, Louisville's offense totaled 586 yards, with Jackson accounting for 295 passing yards, 162 rushing yards, and three total touchdowns (one passing, two rushing). The Cardinals eventually lost the game 42–36.[44] On December 8, Jackson was awarded the Walter Camp Award as the player of the year and the Maxwell Award as the best all-around player in college football.[45]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
| Jackson's Heisman acceptance speech, ESPN video |
On December 10, 2016, Jackson was selected as the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner over fellow finalists Deshaun Watson, Dede Westbrook, Jabrill Peppers, and Baker Mayfield.[46] Jackson became Louisville's first Heisman Trophy winner in school history, and the youngest-ever recipient of the award at the age of 19 years and 337 days.[47][48][49] He finished Louisville's 9–4 season with 3,543 passing yards, 30 passing touchdowns, and nine interceptions to go along with 260 carries for 1,571 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns.[50][51]
Aside from nationally recognized awards, Jackson also won prestigious awards within the University of Louisville. In 2017, he won a Louie for being named the Adidas High Performance Male Athlete of the Year for his outstanding sophomore campaign. Jackson also won a Louie for Play of the Year after the leap he made in the 2016 Syracuse game.[52]
2017 season
When Jackson entered the 2017 season, his fan base and media had high expectations of his performance. College GameDay announced their return to the University of Louisville to host the opening matchup on September 16 between the returning National Champions, Clemson Tigers, and the Cardinals. Despite the 47–21 blowout the Tigers achieved,[53] Jackson did not let the numbers affect his playing ability. His remarkable statistics for the season resulted in Jackson being a Heisman finalist for the 2017 season. He finished in third place in the Heisman voting, losing out to Baker Mayfield and Bryce Love.[54] Jackson played in 13 games, finishing with 3,660 passing yards for 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions to go along with 232 carries for 1,601 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns in the Cardinals' 8–5 season.[55][56][57]
Following the 2017–18 school year, Jackson was named the men's ACC Athlete of the Year for all conference sports, sharing honors with women's winner Arike Ogunbowale of Notre Dame basketball.[58]
College statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| ACC Offensive Player of the Year | |
| Led the ACC (for quarterbacks) | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Louisville Cardinals | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||
| GP | GS | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | |
| 2015 | 12 | 8 | 135 | 247 | 54.7 | 1,840 | 12 | 8 | 126.8 | 163 | 960 | 5.9 | 11 |
| 2016 | 13 | 13 | 230 | 409 | 56.2 | 3,543 | 30 | 9 | 148.8 | 260 | 1,571 | 6.0 | 21 |
| 2017 | 13 | 13 | 254 | 430 | 59.1 | 3,660 | 27 | 10 | 146.6 | 232 | 1,601 | 6.9 | 18 |
| Career | 38 | 34 | 619 | 1,086 | 57.0 | 9,043 | 69 | 27 | 142.9 | 655 | 4,132 | 6.3 | 50 |
Professional career
Pre-draft
On January 5, 2018, Jackson announced that he would enter the 2018 NFL draft.[59] Many draft pundits doubted Jackson's quarterback abilities and suggested that he switch positions to wide receiver due to his athleticism, but Jackson remained adamant about his intention to play quarterback professionally. Jackson declined to run drills such as the 40-yard dash during the NFL Scouting Combine, in order to focus on displaying his passing skills.[60] Jackson reportedly clocked in a 4.34 40 yard dash time in 2017 at Louisville.[61]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
| Lamar Jackson 2018 NFL Combine press conference | |
| Ravens draft Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens video |
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wonderlic | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 2+1⁄4 in (1.89 m) |
216 lb (98 kg) |
33+1⁄8 in (0.84 m) |
9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) |
13 | ||||||||
| All values from NFL draft[62][63] | ||||||||||||
2018 season
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Jackson was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round with the 32nd overall pick in the draft, after trading up for the selection with the Philadelphia Eagles.[64][65] He was the fifth quarterback selected that year.[66] On June 5, 2018, Jackson signed his rookie contract, reportedly worth $9.47 million with a $4.97 million signing bonus.[67]
Jackson made his NFL debut relieving starting quarterback Joe Flacco in the second half of the season-opening 47–3 victory over the Buffalo Bills, finishing with 24 passing yards and 39 rushing yards.[68] During a narrow Week 7 24–23 loss to the New Orleans Saints, Jackson scored his first NFL touchdown on a one-yard rush.[69] In the next game against the Carolina Panthers, Jackson completed four of five passes for 46 yards and his first NFL touchdown, a 26-yard completion to fellow rookie tight end Hayden Hurst, in relief of Flacco during the fourth quarter of a 36–21 loss.[70]
During a Week 11 24–21 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, Jackson made his first NFL start in place of the injured Joe Flacco, who injured his hip two weeks prior against the Pittsburgh Steelers.[71] Jackson completed 13-of-19 passes for 150 yards and an interception and rushed for 117 yards, which was a Ravens franchise record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game.[72] In the next game against the Oakland Raiders, he threw for 178 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions while also rushing for 71 yards and a touchdown as the Ravens won by a score of 34–17.[73] The following week against the Atlanta Falcons, Jackson passed for 125 yards and rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown in a 26–16 road victory.[74]
During a Week 14 24–27 overtime road loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Jackson had his first two-touchdown game as he threw for 147 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 67 yards.[75] Two weeks later, Jackson helped the Ravens defeat the Los Angeles Chargers, completing 12 of 22 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown in a 22–10 upset victory.[76] In the regular-season finale against fellow rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns, Jackson passed for 179 yards and rushed for 90 yards and two touchdowns, despite fumbling a third potential touchdown at the goal line, as the Ravens narrowly beat the Browns 26–24 to clinch the AFC North title.[77] In the seven regular season games in which Jackson had started, the Ravens went 6–1 to close out the 2018 season.[78] Overall, he finished the season with 1,201 passing yards, six passing touchdowns, and three interceptions.[79] He also led all quarterbacks with 695 rushing yards and added five rushing touchdowns.[80]
Taking the field the day before his 22nd birthday, Jackson became the youngest quarterback to start an NFL playoff game in a Wild Card rematch against the Chargers. Despite being held to just 25 passing yards at one point in the fourth quarter by a stout Chargers defense, Jackson then passed for two touchdowns in four minutes to bring the Ravens back from a 20-point deficit to within a touchdown. After forcing the Chargers to punt with less than a minute left, the Ravens had one last chance to win the game down six points, but Jackson was strip-sacked by Chargers linebacker Uchenna Nwosu. With the Chargers recovering the ball, the Ravens lost 23–17 and were knocked out of the playoffs. Jackson finished the game completing 14 of 29 passes for 194 yards, the two aforementioned touchdowns, and an interception while rushing for 54 yards and losing one fumble.[81][82]
Once the 2018 season ended, the Ravens's coaching staff decided to abandon the offensive strategy that had been designed for Joe Flacco and create a new offensive philosophy centered around the specific skills of Jackson. That philosophy included changing every play in the playbook, the terminology used and drafting players or acquiring free agents that would complement Jackson's skills.[83][84]
2019: First MVP
During the season-opening 59–10 road victory over the Miami Dolphins, Jackson completed 17-of-20 passes for career-highs of 324 yards and five touchdowns, making him the youngest quarterback to achieve a perfect passer rating.[85] Jackson was named the American Football Conference (AFC) Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.[86][87] In the next game against the Arizona Cardinals, Jackson threw for 272 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 120 yards as the Ravens won by a score of 23–17.[88] His two touchdown passes set the Ravens' franchise record for the most touchdown passes in the team's first two games of a season.[89] Jackson became the first player in NFL history to pass for more than 250 yards and rush for 120 yards in a single game.[90] The following week against the Chiefs, he completed 22-of-43 passes for 267 yards and rushed for 46 yards and his first rushing touchdown of the season as the Ravens lost on the road by a score of 23–17.[91]
During a Week 4 40–25 loss to the Browns, Jackson threw for 247 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions while also rushing for 66 yards.[92] In the next game against the Steelers, Jackson completed 19-of-28 passes for 161 yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions as the Ravens won by a score of 26–23 in overtime.[93] The following week against the Bengals, Jackson finished with 236 passing yards, 152 rushing yards, and a rushing touchdown during the 23–17 victory.[94] He also became the first player in NFL history to pass for more than 200 yards and rush for 150 yards in a regular-season game,[95] and had more rushing yards than any player at any position in Week 6.[96] During a Week 7 30–16 road victory over the Seattle Seahawks, Jackson finished with 143 passing yards and 116 rushing yards with a rushing touchdown.[97] After a Week 8 bye, the Ravens faced the unbeaten New England Patriots. In that game, Jackson threw for 163 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 61 yards and two touchdowns during the 37–20 victory.[98] For his performance, Jackson earned his second AFC Offensive Player of the Week award.[99]
In the next game, the Ravens routed the Bengals on the road 49–13 with Jackson throwing for 223 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 65 yards and a touchdown, finishing with a perfect passer rating. He became only the second player in NFL history to produce two perfect passer ratings in the same season.[100] Jackson joined Aaron Rodgers (2019) and Joe Montana (1989) as the only players in the Super Bowl era with 15-plus completions, 3-plus passing touchdowns, 1-plus rushing touchdowns, and a perfect passer rating in a single game.[101] Jackson also earned his third total, and second consecutive, AFC Offensive Player of the Week award, matching his predecessor Joe Flacco's career total.[102]
During Week 11 41–7 victory over the Houston Texans, Jackson became the first quarterback in franchise history to throw four or more touchdowns in a game multiple times during the regular season after he threw for 222 yards and four touchdowns.[103] Jackson also rushed for 86 yards in the victory over the Texans, making him the only quarterback in NFL history to rush for more than 60 yards in seven consecutive games.[104] In the next game against the Los Angeles Rams, Jackson threw for 169 yards and five touchdowns while also adding 95 rushing yards during the 45–6 road victory, making him the first player with that many touchdowns in a Monday Night Football debut and the youngest player with multiple five touchdown passing games in NFL history.[105] Jackson earned his fourth AFC Offensive Player of the Week award due to his performance.[106] He was named the AFC's Player of the Month for November.[107] The following week against the San Francisco 49ers, Jackson finished with 105 passing yards, 101 rushing yards, and two total touchdowns as the Ravens won 20–17,[108] and Jackson became the first quarterback in NFL history with four 100-yard rushing games in a season.[109]
During a Wek 14 24–17 road victory against the Bills, he had 145 passing yards, three touchdowns, and an interception to go along with 40 rushing yards.[110] Jackson also became the first quarterback since Michael Vick to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season.[111] In the next game against the New York Jets, Jackson had 212 passing yards for five touchdowns to go along with eight carries for 86 yards during the 42–21 victory, breaking Vick's single-season rushing record for a quarterback.[112] Jackson's five passing touchdowns in the game made him the sixth player since the merger to have three games with at least five passing touchdowns in a season, and tied the Ravens franchise season record with 33.[113][114] Jackson was named AFC Player of the Week for his performance against the Jets.[115] The following week against the Browns, Jackson was held to 38 passing yards and a lost fumble in the first 28 minutes, before exploding for 142 yards and two touchdowns in the last two minutes before halftime. He added a third touchdown pass in the second half of the 31–15 road victory, setting the Ravens single season record for touchdown passes at 36,[116] finishing with 238 passing yards and 103 rushing yards.[117] On the day after the Ravens' victory over the Browns, and due to the Ravens' having clinched home-field advantage, head coach John Harbaugh announced that Jackson, guard Marshal Yanda, safety Earl Thomas, and defensive tackle Brandon Williams would be inactive for the Week 17 game against the Steelers.[118] Even without playing in the Ravens' final game, Jackson led all quarterbacks with 36 touchdown passes and a QBR of 81.10; he also led all rushers with a 6.9 yards per carry average.[119] During the 2019 season, Jackson was also first with 43 total touchdowns and a 9.0 passing touchdown percentage.[120]
Jackson was the starting quarterback at the 2020 Pro Bowl in Orlando, Florida. He threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns with one interception and was named the offensive Most Valuable Player. Jackson became the youngest quarterback in NFL history to start a Pro Bowl game.[121]
Jackson was voted the MVP of the 2019 season.[122] He became the second player after Tom Brady in 2010 to be voted unanimously[5][6][7][123] and the second-youngest player to win, behind only Jim Brown.[122] Jackson, along with Patrick Mahomes, Cam Newton and Steve McNair, is one of the four African-American quarterbacks to win the AP MVP award.[124]
In the Divisional Round against the Tennessee Titans, Jackson and the Ravens were unable to replicate the same success that they had in the regular season, losing 28–12.[125] Jackson finished the game completing 31 of 59 passes for 365 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions while also losing a fumble on a strip sack. He also rushed 20 times for 143 yards becoming the first player to throw for 300+ yards and rush for 100+ yards in a playoff game.[126][127] In total, Jackson personally accounted for over 500 yards of offense.[128]
2020 season
During the season-opening 38–6 victory over the Browns, Jackson completed 20-of-25 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns.[129] He was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.[130] Two weeks later against the Chiefs, Jackson threw for a career-low 97 yards and a touchdown during the 34–20 road loss.[131] In the next game against the Washington Football Team, Jackson threw for 193 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 52 yards and one touchdown as the Ravens won on the road by a score of 31–17, making him the fastest player in NFL history to reach 5,000 yards passing and 2,000 yards rushing.[132] During a Week 8 24–28 loss to the Steelers, Jackson threw for 208 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions, including his first career pick-six, and lost two fumbles.[133] On November 26, 2020, Jackson tested positive for COVID-19 and was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.[134][135] He was activated on December 7.[136]
Jackson made his return in Week 13 against the Dallas Cowboys. During the game, Jackson threw for 107 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception and rushed for 94 yards and a touchdown in the 34–17 victory.[137] In the next game, Jackson set an NFL record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback on Monday Night Football as he rushed for 124 yards in a thriller against the Browns.[138] However, Jackson then left the game late in the third quarter due to leg cramps.[139] He was out of the game for most of the fourth quarter, and Cleveland was able to come back from 14-down and take a 35–34 lead. After backup Trace McSorley suffered a left knee sprain with two minutes left in regulation, Jackson re-entered the game and, on 4th down and 5, threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Marquise Brown. After the Browns drove down and tied the game at 42, Jackson followed up with a short drive to get the Ravens into field goal range, allowing them to get the win by the score of 47–42.[140] Jackson had two rushing touchdowns and a passing touchdown in the game and was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Week 14.[139][141] The following week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Jackson threw for 243 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception and rushed for 35 yards and a touchdown during the 40–14 victory.[142] In the regular-season finale against the Bengals, Jackson threw for 113 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception and rushed for 97 yards during the 38–3 victory.[143] During the game, Jackson became the first NFL quarterback to have multiple seasons surpassing 1,000 rushing yards.[144]
In the Wild Card Round, Jackson won his first career playoff game by defeating the Titans in a rematch of the previous year's Divisional Round matchup. Jackson threw for 179 yards and an interception and rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown during the 20–13 road victory.[145] In the Divisional Round against the Buffalo Bills, Jackson threw for 162 yards and rushed for 34 yards, but threw a costly red zone pick-six to Taron Johnson late in third quarter.[146] Jackson then sustained a concussion on the last play of the third quarter, effectively ending his season as the Ravens lost on the road by a score of 17–3.[147]
2021 season
On April 30, 2021, the Ravens exercised the fifth-year option on Jackson's contract,[148] worth a guaranteed $23 million for the 2022 season.[149] Jackson was diagnosed with COVID-19 around the start of training camp, the second time he had contracted the virus.[150]
During the season-opening 33–27 overtime road loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, Jackson finished with 235 passing yards, 86 rushing yards, a passing touchdown, but also lost two of three fumbles.[151] In the next game against the Chiefs, Jackson finished with 239 passing yards, 107 rushing yards, two interceptions, and three total touchdowns during the narrow 36–35 victory, marking Jackson's first win over Patrick Mahomes.[152] The following week against the Detroit Lions, Jackson finished with 287 passing yards, 58 rushing yards, a passing touchdown during a narrow 19–17 road victory, as Ravens kicker Justin Tucker made an NFL record 66-yard field goal in the final seconds to win the game.[153]
During a Week 5 31–25 overtime victory the Indianapolis Colts, Jackson threw for a career-high and Ravens franchise record 442 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for 62 yards, helping the Ravens erase a 19-point deficit. Jackson also became the first quarterback to have a 85%+ completion rate while throwing 40+ passes.[154][155] Ravens coach John Harbaugh called it one of the greatest performances he had ever seen.[156] In the next game against the Chargers, Jackson set the record for the most victories as a starting quarterback under the age of 25 at 35 in 34–6 rout of the Chargers.[157] During a Week 12 16–10 victory over the Browns, Jackson threw for 165 yards, a touchdown, a career high four interceptions.[158] Two weeks later against the Browns, Jackson left the eventual 24–22 loss in the first quarter after suffered an ankle injury when he was hit by Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Due to his injury, Jackson missed the rest of the season.[159] He was named to his second Pro Bowl after his first coming of his unanimous MVP season.[160]
2022 season
Jackson turned down a contract extension due to his belief that he could improve and earn more.[161] During a Week 2 42–38 loss to the Dolphins, Jackson threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 119 yards and a touchdowns.[162] In the game, Jackson surpassed Michael Vick for the most 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback.[163][164] For the first month of the 2022 NFL season, Jackson led the league in quarterback rating (119.0) and passing touchdowns (10). Jackson also ran for two touchdowns. His 12 combined touchdowns were more than the number of touchdowns scored by 30 NFL teams to that point in the season. As a result, Jackson was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month.[165][166] In Week 6 against the New York Giants, Jackson suffered his first loss to an NFC opponent, having been 12–0 previously.[167]
In Week 13 against the Denver Broncos, Jackson suffered a sprained PCL when he was sacked by Jonathon Cooper.[168] Despite an initial timetable of one to three weeks for his PCL injury, Jackson missed the final five games of the regular season as the Ravens finished 10–7, earning the sixth seed in the playoffs.[169][170] On January 13, Jackson was ruled out for the Ravens' Wild Card Round game against the Bengals.[171]
2023: Second MVP
On March 7, 2023, the Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson.[172] On March 27, Jackson stated publicly via his personal Twitter account that he had requested a trade on March 2, saying the Ravens' front office "has not been interested in meeting my value" during negotiations for a long-term contract.[173] The stalemate ended on April 27, 2023, when Jackson signed a five-year contract worth $260 million with $185 million guaranteed. He would receive $52 million per year, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history just 10 days after Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts set the record (although Jackson's record contract would be surpassed by Justin Herbert just months later).[10] The deal also included a $72.5 million signing bonus, surpassing Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's 2021 deal for the biggest signing bonus in NFL history.[174]
On September 17, 2023, Jackson and the Ravens faced off against the previous season's AFC North champion Bengals. Jackson completed 24 of 33 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 54 yards as the Ravens won by a score of 27–24.[175] During a Week 7 38–6 victory over the Lions, Jackson threw for a season high 357 yards and three touchdowns, compiling a near perfect 155.8 passer rating. He also ran for 36 yards and a touchdown which earned him the AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.[176] During a Week 12 20–10 road victory over the Chargers, Jackson ran for 39 yards to reach 5,000 career rushing yards, joining Michael Vick, Cam Newton, and Russell Wilson as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to achieve 5,000 career rushing yards. He also did so in just 82 career games, the fewest for a quarterback in NFL history, surpassing Michael Vick's previous record of doing so in 104 career games.[177]
During a Week 16 33–19 road victory over the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers, Jackson threw for 252 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions for a 105.9 passer rating while also leading Baltimore with 45 rushing yards.[178] In the next game against the Dolphins, Jackson was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week[179] after posting a perfect passer rating for the third time in his career, completing 18 of 21 passes for 321 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions during a 56–19 victory.[180] The win also clinched the top-seed in the AFC and the AFC North championship for the first time since 2019.[181]
On January 3, 2024, the Ravens announced that Jackson would be inactive for the final game of the regular season. He finished the regular season with career highs in pass completions, completion percentage, and passing yards.[182] Jackson won his second NFL MVP in a near-unanimous decision, receiving 49 of 50 first-place votes. At the age of 27, Jackson became the second-youngest player to win multiple MVPs, behind Jim Brown.[183]
In the Divisional Round against the Houston Texans, Jackson accounted for all four of the Ravens' touchdowns and led Baltimore to a 34–10 victory, clinching their first AFC Championship Game appearance since 2012. Jackson scored two of those touchdowns with his legs, running for a total of 100 yards on 11 carries, and completed 16-of-22 passes for 152 yards with a passer rating of 121.8.[184] At home against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, Jackson completed 20-of-37 passes for 272 yards with one touchdown and rushed eight times for 54 yards. However, he lost a fumble and threw an interception in the endzone in the fourth quarter as the Ravens lost 17–10.[185]
Player profile
Jackson has been widely regarded as the best running quarterback in the NFL since his rookie season.[186] His dual-threat style of play has often earned him comparisons to Michael Vick.[187] Except for his rookie season, the Ravens have led the league in rushing each year with Jackson under center.[188] In 2019, the Ravens broke the single-season rushing record,[188] with Jackson breaking Vick's record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season.[189][190]
However, concerns have been raised on his ability to play as a pure pocket passer when the run game is contained.[191] These concerns about Jackson's passing began during his college tenure with Louisville.[60][192] Over the years, most analysts have cited improvement in his passing ability.[193][194][190] During Week 16 of the 2023 season, in a 56–19 victory over the Miami Dolphins, Jackson recorded the third perfect passer rating of his career.[195] Jackson is tied for the second-most in NFL history.[196]
NFL career statistics
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| AP NFL MVP | |
| NFL record (for quarterbacks) | |
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |