Getty Ravens QB Lamar Jackson told Tom Brady he still has a chip on his shoulder
When Lamar Jackson entered the NFL, he did so with something to prove.
Before he was drafted, there were suggestions that he should try another position.
On draft night, he watched four quarterbacks get selected ahead of him. One of those wasn’t even on a roster in 2023.
Since that night, Jackson has proven plenty.
He has a career record of 58-19. He has already won an MVP and appears to be a lock to win his second this year. He just led the Baltimore Ravens to the AFC’s top seed for the second time in his career.
Still, it appears that isn’t enough for him.
Jackson told Tom Brady that he still has a chip on his shoulder because there is one thing left he needs to accomplish.
“I definitely do have that chip on my shoulder,” Jackson said on the January 9 episode of “Let’s Go!”. “I haven’t accomplished what I wanted to yet, so that’s why that chip is still on my shoulder. I want that Super Bowl. That’s the accolade that I really want so bad. … I feel like we have the team to do it. We have the guys in the building, coaching staff, training staff, equipment guys, we got everything we need right now.”
A Chance to Get the Chip Off His Shoulder
This postseason, Jackson has his best chance yet at removing that chip from his shoulder.
His individual play is a big reason why, but the team as a whole looks the part of a contender.
The Ravens’ defense allowed the least points in the NFL this season. They also allowed the second-least yards per pass attempt, which will be very important for a playoff run where they could have to face QBs like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Dak Prescott, and Brock Purdy.
They’ve also made it very difficult for quarterbacks to be able to get pass attempts off as they lead the NFL in sacks.
On the offensive side of the ball, Jackson has help this year.
Gus Edwards started the season as the team’s backup running back and ended it with 810 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Now they’ll have four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook joining him in the backfield.
Zay Flowers made 77 catches for 858 yards as a rookie. That’s the second most yards in a season for a Ravens receiver over the course of Jackson’s career.
Isaiah Likely has stepped up in Mark Andrews’ absence. Over the last six weeks, he’s made 21 catches for 322 yards and 5 touchdowns.
The team also features one of the league’s highest-graded offensive lines, with PFF ranking them third ahead of Week 18.
The Ravens have all of the pieces you want to see from a team looking to win a Super Bowl and they’ve repeatedly dominated top competition throughout the 2023 season.
There’s still a lot of work to be done for the Ravens, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if that chip was off Jackson’s shoulder at the end of this season.
Brady Praised Jackson’s Intangibles
Since his retirement from the NFL, Brady hasn’t been shy about criticizing the current state of the league.
Just a couple of months ago, Brady told Stephen A Smith that he sees a lot of mediocrity in the league and doesn’t see as much excellence in the NFL as he used to.
It seems that criticism didn’t apply to Jackson as Brady praised the Ravens QB for his intangibles during their podcast appearance.
“You’ve got the ability to inspire your teammates by your action, by your words, and your humility, and your toughness, and your courage,” Brady said. “Not only your skill set—everybody can see that. To me, it’s your intangibles that make you special. You’re never gonna lose that. You just do more of that and you’re gonna have incredible success. I love seeing it, man. Keep it up.”
With the way Jackson has played in 2023 and the position he currently has his team in, it makes sense that the NFL’s GOAT would be able to appreciate what the Ravens star brings to the table.