Sunday Football Notes: Lamar’s Injury, Ravens’ Uncertainty, and a Cloudy Future in Baltimore
With the Ravens’ season hanging in the balance on Sunday night against the Patriots, Lamar Jackson didn’t take a single snap in the second half. The reason? A back injury that’s now raising more questions than answers in Baltimore - and not just about his health.
On Monday, head coach John Harbaugh addressed the injury head-on, pushing back on any notion that Jackson’s absence was precautionary or minor.
“There is nothing beyond the contusion,” Harbaugh said, “but I don’t want to minimize the severity and the pain level of that because it’s legit. It’s not like a black-and-blue mark.
These are deep tissue contusions. I’m not a medical guy, but I did see the MRI.
It’s legitimate and very painful.”
That’s a coach going to bat for his quarterback - and make no mistake, Harbaugh sounded like a man who wanted to shut down any speculation about Lamar’s toughness or commitment. But even with that public show of support, something about this situation feels... off.
This isn’t the first time there’s been a strange energy between the Ravens and their franchise QB. Whether it’s contract negotiations, injury timelines, or sideline body language, there’s been an undercurrent of tension that’s hard to ignore. And now, with the Ravens staring down the barrel of a likely playoff miss, the long-term outlook is murky.
It’s fair to wonder: Is this the beginning of a crossroads moment in Baltimore? Come 2026, could the Ravens be forced to choose between their Super Bowl-winning head coach and their former MVP quarterback?
That’s not a decision any team wants to make, but the NFL doesn’t wait for anyone - and patience is rarely rewarded when the postseason slips away. If the Ravens do miss the playoffs, internal pressure will mount. And when that happens, change tends to follow.
There’s no official word yet on Jackson’s status moving forward, but the Ravens’ season may already be on life support. And if it ends without a playoff berth, the bigger story might not be how it ended - but who’s still around when it’s time to start again.