In only 21 career starts, Lamar Jackson has managed to take the NFL by storm in a manner few before him have achieved.
Jackson’s dual-threat skill set has made him must-watch TV. His ability to thrash defenses with his superior arm talent and electric, elusive running skills have landed him at the forefront of the MVP race and in the spotlight on a weekly basis.
Jackson’s latest dynamic performance came against the Jets on Thursday night. He broke Michael Vick’s single-season rushing record for a quarterback while tossing five touchdown passes and leading the Ravens to a 42-21 win.
After getting trounced by Jackson, a handful of Jets players, including Le’Veon Bell and Robby Anderson, met with Jackson at midfield to exchange jerseys. The optics of the gathering weren’t too great for New York, as not only did Jackson just burn the team for four quarters, but he also had multiple jerseys to give out as if it was an autograph session for fans. Why would any Jet have interest in being buddy-buddy with a player who just embarrassed them in a primetime setting?
Everyone wanted a jersey swap with Lamar postgame.
So @Lj_era8 brought a few extra to give away. #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/1JUYFtk2j4
— NFL (@NFL) December 13, 2019
At the same time, it’s worth wondering whether the jersey swap is as big of a deal as some people are making it out to be. Jersey swapping is now a customary practice across all sports. Why are people taking issue specifically with this swap as opposed to others?
Whether you agree or disagree with the jersey swap practice, Jackson and Gang Green’s postgame session at midfield is a product of the kind of league the NFL is today.
In the league’s early days, players on opposing teams legitimately hated each other. It wasn’t a hate that lasted for four quarters and disappeared once the clock hit zero. It was a hate that lingered for years and, in many cases, into retirement.
The same cannot be said for today’s NFL. The NFL has essentially become a fraternity. Almost everyone is friendly with each other. While players still go to war for four quarters and friendships go out the window during the game, there’s seldom any lingering beef off the field. Once the game ends, the friendships return and any ill-will experienced over the course of a game dissipates.
If you’re an old school fan, odds are you couldn’t stand watching Jackson and the Jets swap jerseys. If you’re of the younger generation, it might’ve rubbed you as a little bit weird, but nothing crazy or out of the ordinary in sports today.
This is what the NFL has become. Thursday night’s jersey swap session wasn’t the first and it certainly will not be the last for Jackson or the Jets. The practice isn’t going anywhere, so there’s not much of a choice to accept it for what it is.