Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson's longtime quest to finally play in the Super Bowl was dealt a major blow after it was announced that he will undergo surgery for his thumb injury, which could end his season.
Jackson sustained the thumb injury in the Ravens' first snap against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The two-time MVP just recovered from an ankle injury, which sidelined him for three games. Baltimore lost to Buffalo, 36-10.
It felt like fate played a cruel joke on Jackson. Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith, however, stayed defiant despite the frustrating development.
“Obviously, it's very tough when you have a warrior like Jack go down. You don't want to see anyone go down. It's a very unforgiving game, and you can't control the circumstances. But all you can do is control your response, and that's how you should live life, and I think that should echo into the game of football,” said Smith in the video posted by Jamison Hensley.
“Obviously, it sucks, but the season's not over. We have to do what we have to do. For us on the defensive side, we just have to control what we can control. That's our approach.”
Ravens LB Roquan Smith on losing Lamar Jackson: “It sucks. But the season is not over.” pic.twitter.com/ShaRdQUQzo
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) November 1, 2026
Smith added that Jackson's long absence could rally the Ravens to step up, stressing that they cannot sulk if they want to get back on track.
“We can look ourselves in the mirror and say, ‘Hey, despite the circumstances, we're standing 10 toes down, not flinching at all. If I do, pick my head right back up.' We gotta have that mindset,” said the five-time All-Pro.
Article Continues BelowHe logged 11 tackles and two passes defended against the Bills.
Baltimore suffered its third straight defeat and fell to 4-4, while Buffalo improved to 6-1.
Last season, Jackson missed four games due to a hamstring injury and a back injury. The Ravens finished at 8-9 and failed to qualify for the playoffs.