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Lamar Jackson is coming off one of the best seasons for a quarterback in league history. Jackson broke several franchise and NFL records before becoming just the second unanimous MVP selection in the history of the award and gracing the cover of “Madden 21” this offseason. While Jackson’s stock has shot through the roof like a rocket and he has the Baltimore Ravens among the favorites to win Super Bowl LV, those around him say his personality has stayed exactly the same.
“Lamar is Lamar, man. He’s never going to change who he is,” Ravens tight end Mark Andrews said in a press conference Monday. “There’s no superstardom coming from Lamar. Lamar is Lamar and that’s something we all love about him. I think that’s something that everyone can relate to, that his head’s not too big or it’ll never get too big because he’s a down to earth person.”
Andrews stated what we’ve all seen with our own eyes since Jackson was selected by the Ravens in the 2018 NFL Draft. Jackson is humble, elevates those around him, and puts the team’s goals above his own personal accolades. Jackson’s dedication to self-improvement and his focus on winning a championship have been common themes from those who have been asked about him this offseason.
“He’s very motivated, he’s very determined, he’s worked very hard,” coach John Harbaugh said at the start of training camp in late July. “He’s really a realist. He really understands what’s required and what he needs to do to take his game to the level that brings our team to a championship. That’s what he wants to do. That’s his whole focus and goal, and that’s what I always admire about him, and that’s why I always respect him so much.”
It’s that type of attitude and work ethic we all saw last offseason. After a successful rookie campaign that saw him take the team to the playoffs in a year where no one expected the Ravens to contend, Jackson didn’t revel in his accomplishments. Instead, he took to the practice field with quarterback gurus to improve his mechanics and his production. The end result was an MVP award and a league-best regular-season record for Baltimore.
Once again this offseason, it would be easy for Jackson to let his success go to his head instead of putting in the hard work. He’s one of the most famous quarterbacks in the game right now and in this era of football, a franchise quarterback can practically name his price and teams will gladly hand over the checkbook. Yet, when the Kansas City Chiefs gave quarterback Patrick Mahomes a deal worth up to $503 million, Jackson’s first thoughts weren’t dreams of a yacht and buying a baseball team. Nope, Jackson rededicated himself to winning a Super Bowl instead.
“I’ve just got to win a Super Bowl,” Jackson said when asked about his reaction to Mahomes’ record-breaking contract extension. “I don’t really focus on what he has going on, because I’ve still got to prove myself.”
Instead of attending crazy parties, releasing an album, or living it up on a private island this offseason, Jackson doubled down on improving his game. If the videos of him working out don’t prove it, Jackson’s words back up the idea of a man obsessed with getting even better and taking his team with him.
“Hard work and dedication. I’m going to keep working hard,” Jackson said when asked about what he’s trying to add to his game after an MVP season last year. “There’s always room for improvement, and I just need to keep grinding. I’m working on everything: passing, running ability, everything. I feel like the sky is the limit for not just me, but the team – the whole organization.”
It would be easy to kick back and enjoy the success his hard work has gotten him already, but winning a Super Bowl is far from easy and as Jackson promised on his draft day, Baltimore is “going to get a Super Bowl out of me.” Yet, you can’t help but get the impression Jackson would still say he needed to play even better while holding the Lombardi Trophy above his head.
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