John Harbaugh’s frank admission after bombshell report claims Lamar Jackson ‘sleeps in meetings’
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has broken his silence after a scathing report about Lamar Jackson went viral.
On Wednesday, the Baltimore Sun published a piece accusing Jackson of sleeping in meetings, playing video games late into the evening, and receiving preferential treatment.
This article was written by columnist Mike Preston, who even claimed that Harbaugh is unhappy with Jackson’s conduct.
Harbaugh’s near 20-year tenure in Baltimore is expected to come under increased scrutiny if the Ravens miss the postseason.
The Ravens drafted Jackson in 2018 and the two-time MVP is under contract until 2028, but for the first time it appears there is noise about what comes next for the franchise.
Preston’s piece questioned whether the team was now at a crossroads and finished his piece by claiming that Jackson – fifth on talkSPORT’s quarterback power rankings – should not be given a contract extension and should be traded.
This bombshell report elicited a response just hours later from Harbaugh, who was asked about the claims in his press conference.
“I’ll tell you how [I feel], as I’m pretty transparent with all the guys,” Harbaugh began.
“I had a great conversation with him this morning about a few things. Football, how he’s feeling, things like that.
“So our relationship is A-plus. I love him. Always have, always will. He’s fighting like crazy to get back.”
Harbaugh then directly addressed the report: “So, these reports… I don’t really need anybody speaking for me. So ask me, and I’ll tell you how I feel.”
Jackson is currently dealing with more health issues after he suffered a back contusion against the New England Patriots last weekend.
So far, this campaign, he has had issues with his hamstring, knee, ankle and toe.
He missed practice on Wednesday, and it is unclear whether the quarterback, whose contract expires in 2027, will be fit for the Ravens’ must-win game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Report comes amid poor individual campaign for Jackson
This is Jackson’s worst-ever season from a statistical standpoint.
His passing numbers are down with just 2,311 yards in 12 games after having 4,172 in total last season.
He has just 18 passing touchdowns after completing 41 last season.
And he has already taken 33 sacks after taking just 23 in 2024.
Jackson is unrecognizable from the world-class dual-threat quarterback that he has been since entering the league, but the Ravens have been far from themselves.
They have missed the playoffs just once in the last seven seasons and for Preston, Jackson’s dip in form is not being helped by his habits.
“The breakdown of an NFL player’s body is natural,” Preston writes,
“But Jackson could help himself.
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“He doesn’t need to be up late at night playing video games or falling asleep in team meetings.”
Trading Jackson may not go down well with the Ravens faithful who have an affinity with their quarterback, but should the possibility open up, there is one obvious destination.
That is the Miami Dolphins, Jackson’s hometown, who need a new quarterback after benching Tua Tagovailoa.
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