Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson is in the headlines for a reason every team dreads having their leader being talked about.
He has missed voluntary workouts and is now $750,000 poorer for being a no-show and forfeiting the scheduled bonuses.
The good news for the team and its legions of fans is that Jackson reversed course on Tuesday and joined his fellow Ravens on the practice field.
This, however, did not sit well with at least one critic.
NFL analyst John Middlekauff told The Volume that “if I’m the Ravens, I’m pretty pi**** off.”
“If I’m the Ravens, I’m pretty pissed off”
—@JohnMiddlekauff reacts to Lamar Jackson skipping OTAs pic.twitter.com/ag6HeXkBsP
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) June 4, 2024
Remember, the two-time NFL MVP signed a new five-year, $260 million contract last year.
This means he could well afford to pass on $750,000 in workout bonuses.
Still, Middlekauff noted that the quarterback is the team leader and is well compensated for his services.
As the commentator said, Jackson is “the face of the franchise all year round” and should follow the lead of other team leaders such as Patrick Mahomes.
After all, isn’t the Kansas City star exactly who Jackson and every other NFL quarterback is chasing?
Money considerations aside, and $260 million certainly means not having to worry about finances, it is a very bad look to not be at workouts with the team you are supposed to lead.
As rookies and free agents join the team on the field, every one of them looks to Jackson as the leader of the franchise.
Having him skip workouts, however voluntary, does not deliver the message that every NFL team wants its players to hear.
He is a disgrace to the team, I think he is a drama queen and the most overrated player in the NFL. He had the number one defense behind him all year and he still choked like he does every year. And all the knuckleheads complain we did not run the ball in the playoffs against Kansas City. Not understanding they had eight men in the box all game long saying, let Jackson beat us with his arm and we know how that went. He missed wide open receiver after wide open receiver down the sideline. He’s a choker and he’s just not smart enough to be an NFL quarterback because he doesn’t understand how to read defenses like throwing into triple coverage in the playoff game not realizing if three defensive backs or on one receiver someone has to be open. He’s a dumbass.