Lamar Jackson is authentically himself, and he’s not going to apologize for it

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Lamar Jackson has little curiosity in speaking about different quarterbacks, each previous and current. He sidesteps the questions like he does with blitzing linebackers bursting by way of the A spot.

Since he entered the NFL, reporters have tried to persuade Jackson to speak in-depth about his contemporaries, to disclose his admiration for different prime quarterbacks, to wax poetic concerning the guys who he watched and emulated as a child rising up in South Florida.

These queries often find yourself equally to how Jackson answered a two-part query Sunday about his relationship with Kansas Metropolis Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the man he’ll share a discipline with Thursday evening within the NFL’s regular-season opener.

“I don’t have a relationship with him. I don’t suppose I’ve a relationship with any quarterback within the league,” Jackson stated. “I don’t take something from him. I simply play my sport, however he’s a fantastic quarterback. I’m going to say that. He has the accolades to show it. He makes issues occur on the sector that make his workforce profitable.”

That is season No. 7 for Jackson. In some methods, he insists he seems like a rookie. He’s decided to carry on to the youthful exuberance that almost all rookies possess. That helps him keep in mind to cherish day by day he has within the NFL.

In different methods, Jackson is aware of his NFL clock is ticking, notably in relation to engaging in the one factor he’s obsessed over since that late April 2018 evening when he held up a Baltimore Ravens jersey as a newly minted first-round decide. It’s additionally the factor Mahomes and the Chiefs have carried out thrice over. Jackson has by no means led his workforce to a Tremendous Bowl. The Ravens received shut final season. That they couldn’t end the job — and the Chiefs did — ate at Jackson all offseason. He thinks about all of it hours of the day, whether or not he’s on the soccer discipline or not.

“I haven’t gotten a Tremendous Bowl but. That’s the one factor that bothers me,” Jackson stated. “I don’t care what (naysayers) say as a result of they nonetheless speak about Michael Jordan, they nonetheless speak about LeBron (James). They nonetheless speak about Steph Curry. These guys received championships. I don’t have one but. So it’s like, ‘All proper, cool, you’re going to speak about me.’ I have to get a championship, a number of championships. However I do know they’re nonetheless going to speak about me. I’ve to reside with it.”

Jackson turns 28 in January, his birthday falling a number of days after the top of the common season and some days earlier than the beginning of the NFL playoffs. With two MVP awards and three Professional Bowl choices on his resume, with wins in 58 of the 77 regular-season video games he’s began since getting into the NFL, Jackson is within the unenviable place of getting nothing actually to show over the subsequent 4 months of the common season.

Jackson and the 2024 Ravens might be finally judged by what they do in the event that they make the playoffs. They’re simply 2-4 in playoff video games with Jackson as their quarterback. Their postseason points, which have been on full show in the course of the workforce’s house AFC championship loss to the Chiefs in January, have been quite a few. Nevertheless, Jackson has absorbed an abundance of blame with 9 turnovers in these six contests — and Baltimore’s much-ballyhooed offense averaging simply over 10 factors per sport within the losses.

“I feel the factor that will get misplaced about that narrative is one, it’s actual and it’s true; and two, you earn your method into that narrative,” stated former NFL quarterback and present ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky. “That’s, I suppose, a burden that you’re in uncommon air to be in. There’s not a ton of men within the NFL which are grouped into that, that whereas we recognize and love and admire the regular-season accomplishments, you don’t get into a special stage of dialog till that turns into what you do within the playoffs.

“I do suppose it’s nonetheless essential to say that the expansion of Lamar final season was actually high-end. The way in which that he developed as a passer of their drop-pass sport and the full-field reads, how rapidly he received the ball out of his arms of their fast passing sport, the event of that. … We are able to acknowledge the expansion and in addition acknowledge the air that he’s in.”

Solely 4 quarterbacks who will begin in Week 1 have been starters for a Tremendous Bowl winner. The listing begins with Mahomes and in addition contains Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford. Jackson’s elusive pursuit has loads of firm from the likes of Josh Allen, Dak Prescott, Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Brock Purdy, Trevor Lawrence and Jalen Hurts. Burrow, Hurts and Purdy have at the least performed in Tremendous Bowls.

But, Jackson is the one man in that group who has gained a number of MVP awards and whose head coach stated this in July:

“The imaginative and prescient that we now have collectively is that Lamar Jackson goes to change into and be identified and be acknowledged as the best quarterback ever to play within the historical past of the Nationwide Soccer League,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh stated.

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Because the NFL introduced mid-Might that Chiefs-Ravens would kick off the common season, Jackson and Mahomes have shared the sport’s promotional marquee. They’re two of the faces of the NFL and have mixed to win 4 of the previous six MVP trophies.

With three Tremendous Bowl victories and one other look previously 5 years, Mahomes has put himself in his personal stratosphere. That’s been true on the sector and Madison Avenue. Based on Forbes, the Chiefs quarterback made $20 million in endorsements alone final season, because of partnerships with Adidas, State Farm, Gatorade, Subway, Oakley and Coors Mild, amongst others.

“Mahomes, proper now, is head and shoulders above everyone. In second place proper now might be Travis Kelce, an upshot from Taylor Swift,” stated Bob Dorfman, a San Francisco-based sports activities advertising and marketing guru. “With Jackson, his upside is dependent upon how effectively he does within the postseason. It’s limitless if he can lastly recover from the hump.”

Mahomes seemingly embraces the limelight, or at the least tolerates it. He’s out and about at totally different occasions round Kansas Metropolis. He and his spouse, Brittany, have monetary stakes in three Kansas Metropolis sports activities franchises. The Mahomes household is pictured collectively typically. Mahomes’ skilled circle, which incorporates his agent Chris Cabott and efficiency coach Bobby Stroupe, is effectively outlined.

That contrasts tremendously with Jackson, who in quite a lot of methods is an NFL famous person hiding in plain sight. That’s precisely the way in which he needs it. Jackson doesn’t have a ton of endorsement offers, and that’s seemingly been his choice. Given his fame and recognition, notably with youngsters, Jackson can be a simple promote for a number of firms. His identified investments are largely in native ventures in his hometown of Pompano Seashore, Fla., or his NFL house in Baltimore.

The function Jackson’s mom, Felicia Jones, has performed in his life is effectively documented. Jackson has spoken about his mom, siblings and his 3-year-old daughter, Milan, at totally different factors of his profession — despite the fact that the household stays effectively out of the general public eye. Jackson doesn’t have an agent or a high-profile quarterback coach or athletic coach. Little is thought about his interior circle and relationships past the truth that rapper Kodak Black has been a pal of his since childhood.

“You guys speak to us about soccer. My private life, I depart that non-public,” Jackson stated. “On the finish of the day, it’s about me taking part in soccer. It’s not about anything. It’s not about who I knew rising up. That didn’t assist me get right here. My mindset helped me get right here. That’s why I by no means checked out it like, ‘Oh, yeah, once I get to the league, I’m going to be doing this, or speaking about these individuals.’ No, if I need to speak about these individuals, they might have been round me. You guys would have been seeing that.”

Fiercely protecting of his and his household’s privateness, Jackson describes himself as a homebody who enjoys hanging out with family members, doting on his daughter, watching cartoons and listening to music. The writer of a youngsters’s guide — “I Dream, You Dream, Let Us Dream!” — that encourages youngsters to dream huge, Jackson and his Perpetually Dreamers Basis hosts an annual occasion in Pompano Seashore referred to as “Enjoyable Day with LJ” that caters to youngsters.

Funday With LJ 2024 was an enormous success! Thanks to the dad and mom for bringing the youngsters out! 🙏🏾

Thanks to the Boynton Seashore Police Division, Boynton Seashore Hearth & Rescue, @BoyntonBeachHR @boyntonbeachrec for all of your assist and help! 💜

🎥: TruzzProductionz™@Lj_era8 pic.twitter.com/uGPKpBgxzf

— Perpetually Dreamers Basis (@forever8dreame1) July 15, 2024

Jackson wish to have an analogous occasion for youngsters in Baltimore, however he worries about security issues as a result of his presence attracts such a crowd. He joked that each time he goes out in public, an impromptu autograph present or picture shoot commences. He realized way back that it’s unimaginable to please everybody.

“You need to be with me to know me,” Jackson stated. “I’m going to indicate like to everybody. We’re all people on the finish of the day, and I don’t need anyone to get a foul rap on me. I’m not a foul particular person. I’m who I’m. I’m going to simply be me, however I see individuals saying, ‘I like Lamar, he’s like this or he’s like that.’ It’s like, you don’t know me. I simply be chilling, for actual. I’m not even outgoing. I’d simply fairly be in my home, but when I may exit and hang around with my household, I’d do this.”

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Those that know Jackson effectively even select their phrases about him rigorously with the quarterback already a lightning rod for scrutiny. In addition they perceive that Jackson doesn’t notably care what “outsiders” learn about him, however why give the “speaking heads” one other headline?

“That’s one thing that I feel is why this entire league respects him,” stated Ravens broad receiver Nelson Agholor, who spends time with Jackson within the offseason in South Florida. “For him to be as particular of a expertise as he’s, he’s additionally essentially the most genuine man that we’ve seen. He’s very constant as a human being. He retains every thing actual, he respects actual and he embraces everyone to be themselves. That’s what you like about him.

“He speaks life into everyone in right here, as a result of every thing is concerning the final aim.”

Across the Ravens’ facility, Jackson is the Pied Piper. His locker is a well-liked gathering spot for teammates. It’s not distinctive to see Jackson locked in a light-hearted dialog with a defensive participant, or perhaps a member of Baltimore’s observe squad.

As he thought this offseason about methods to assist his workforce get to a different stage, Jackson first mirrored on his play. He felt he received “fats” final 12 months and lacked the elite explosiveness that had lengthy been his trademark. He’s misplaced weight and is as lean as he’s been in years, prompting Roquan Smith to say lately that Jackson appears to be like like he did when he was at Louisville and profitable the Heisman Trophy.

Jackson additionally thought extra about his function as a pacesetter and felt like he wanted to be extra vocal. A part of that’s being extra open with teammates on what he expects. Jackson acknowledged that he’s struggled to get on teammates previously as a result of he didn’t need them to suppose he’s misplaced religion in them. There’s additionally a component of being extra conversational with offensive coordinator Todd Monken and the remainder of the teaching employees about what he likes and doesn’t like.

“What I’ve seen about Lamar actually is extra of an intangible factor: his urgency as a pacesetter, his urgency with different gamers,” Ravens normal supervisor Eric DeCosta stated. “He’s simply actually in tune with the opposite gamers each single observe. He’s so engaged with the coaches. He’s engaged along with his teammates. Heck, he’s engaged with me — we speak personnel. … He’s received nice concepts and options. He simply actually needs to win badly.”

Jackson has an unwavering perception in himself and the way he does issues. He’s needed to, given the skepticism he’s confronted about his NFL quarterback prospects since he was younger. His method doesn’t at all times completely align with how the Ravens see issues. For instance, they’d absolutely choose that he attends the workforce’s voluntary offseason exercises, which Jackson has carried out in recent times solely sporadically.

Nevertheless, Jackson and the Ravens, who agreed to a five-year, $260 million contract extension in April 2023, ending a tough year-plus negotiation, are in lockstep in what’s actually essential to one another. Each side perceive there needs to be somewhat give.

“Like I at all times let you know guys, I like competing and I hate to lose. I actually hate it,” Jackson stated. “These are all my brothers right here. They know what you see from me is what you get.”

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As the sport performed out on a display within the quarterback room this summer season, Jackson grew more and more agitated. He has what some Ravens have described as a photographic reminiscence, so Jackson didn’t must be reminded of a number of the low moments from Baltimore’s 17-10 loss to the Chiefs within the AFC championship. This, nonetheless, was educating tape for quarterbacks coach Tee Martin — and there was one thing to be gained from watching it.

“I needed to tear the (display) in half,” Jackson stated whereas uttering a guttural sigh.

Jackson laid out all of the Ravens’ miscues: poor passes, pricey turnovers, botched assignments, penalties. Jackson felt the Ravens put an excessive amount of stress on themselves and didn’t react effectively to adversity, spending an excessive amount of time dwelling on what had already occurred.

“That was us. That was our doing,” Jackson stated. “These guys had gained championships. These guys, I really feel, they knew methods to come out of these conditions. We didn’t. I felt we have been sort of immature. It was like, ‘We’ve received to make one thing occur quick,’ and we received out of our our bodies. We didn’t have to. We are able to’t get annoyed with adversity.”

Jackson vividly remembers the eerie feeling within the locker room, how a gaggle of men who have been satisfied they have been a part of one of the best workforce in soccer was lowered to shocked silence and once more compelled to take a backseat to the Chiefs. For Jackson, that meant extra questions on his postseason struggles.

“Lamar is aware of it. He’s received to get previous (Mahomes) when it issues most,” Orlovsky stated. “He’s not going to run from that. I feel it’s a superb dynamic. Clearly, the NFL is extremely wholesome with their younger quarterbacks. I at all times say this: The beauty of Lamar — and I say this in spending time with him and spending time with the Ravens group — he’s unapologetically who he’s. There’s actually no one within the league like him at that place. There’s simply not. I feel that lies the wonder inside him outdoors his great expertise.”

Jackson’s confidence in himself and uber competitiveness are in all probability one of the best explanations as to why he has at all times been so reluctant to speak about different quarterbacks and embrace comparisons with previous NFL stars.

However there’s additionally the matter of him not wanting so as to add to a story on the market that he believes is overblown. Certain, Jackson loved and admired watching different gamers, together with Michael Vick, Donovan McNabb and Reggie Bush. However he didn’t develop up with the concept of being the subsequent anyone.

All he’s ever needed to be is one of the best Lamar Jackson. He’s effectively on his method, however Jackson understands there are nonetheless fairly a number of chapters that must be written.

“The story might be advised about me in all probability once I’m carried out taking part in,” Jackson stated. “I don’t attempt to inform tales about my previous. I’m dwelling within the second proper now. I keep in mind every thing that has gone on — how I felt on the time and all of that. However proper now, I concentrate on what’s in entrance of me.”

(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; picture: Patrick Smith / Getty Pictures)