If he inexplicably retired today, Lamar Jackson would be remembered as the greatest dual-threat quarterback of all time. No one else has ever had his elite combination of electric running and precision passing (with the latter arguably being even better). He’s a generational talent of the highest order who will always have his Baltimore Ravens positioned comfortably as Super Bowl contenders.
But after the Ravens’ crushing playoff loss on Sunday — punctuated by Mark Andrews’ nightmare fourth quarter and a passionate defense from John Harbaugh — Jackson sure seems like he’s in line for a third career MVP and not even a single Super Bowl appearance.
This is clearly a fact that weighs on the superstar quarterback, as evidenced by his postgame comments. When asked to sum up the Ravens’ latest playoff heartbreak, Jackson pulled no punches.
He’s tired of coming up short. He’s tired of stellar Baltimore regular seasons ultimately meaning nothing once the calendar turns to January and February. He’s ready for his Ravens team breakthrough, and he unfortunately has to wait another full year to try and get there:
Jackson: “I got to get over this. We’re right there. I’m tired of being right there. We need to punch our ticket.”
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) January 20, 2025
Here’s a video snippet of Jackson’s frustrated rant.
(Warning: NSFW language below.)
A frustrated Lamar pic.twitter.com/HUBlEzjmnO
— Ari M (@AriMeirov) January 20, 2025
At the age of 28, Jackson has nothing left to prove as an individual player. He has accomplished everything and is unquestionably a top-three player in the NFL. But right now, he feels like one of those tremendous NBA superstars who, for whatever reason, can’t get over the hump in the crucible of the playoffs.
For an all-time talent like Jackson, we have to hope his glorious Super Bowl moment for the Ravens comes someday very soon. He has to keep plugging away and hope for a little luck in the process. In the end, that’s all Jackson can really do. Lead, play well, and maintain a positive attitude for his teammates.
If there’s any solace in such a mindset for Jackson, great athletes like him are usually rewarded for their persistence.
