Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson requested a trade away from the franchise on March 2, the player has confirmed with a statement to his fans on Twitter.
Jackson was hit with a non-exclusive franchise tag by the Ravens earlier this offseason, allowing him to speak to other teams regarding a trade. The tag allowed the Ravens to match any incoming offer, but Jackson has decided that he wishes to move on from Baltimore.
The quarterback has remained silent on his future throughout most of the offseason, but sent a message to his fans on Twitter to set the record straight following certain reports that referenced his next steps. "A letter to my fans," his statement began.
"I want to first thank you all for all of the love and support you consistently show towards me. All of you are amazing and I appreciate y’all so much. I want you all to know not to believe everything you read about me.
"Let me personally answer your questions in regards to my future plans. As of March 2nd I requested a trade from the Ravens organization for which the Ravens has not been interested in meeting my value.
"Any and everyone that’s has met me or been around me know I love the game of football and my dream is to help a team win the Super Bowl. You all are great but I had to make a business decision that was best for my family and I."
"No matter how far I go or where my career takes me, I’ll continue to be close to my fans of Baltimore Flock nation and the entire State of Maryland. You’ll See me again."
Jackson's tweet came at a poignant time, as head coach John Harbaugh was speaking to reporters at the NFL Annual Meeting. According to NFL insider Tom Pelissero, Harbaugh repeatedly claimed that he expects Lamar Jackson to be the team's quarterback for the 2023 season.
"That’s my guy," Harbaugh was saying when speaking about Jackson - although the head coach is known for being a huge fan of the talented quarterback. However, it looks like Jackson won't be his guy for much longer, and there is a huge offseason ahead for both the player, and the Ravens franchise.
