Lamar Jackson's Ankle Injury Revives Questions About a Complicated Injury History

Earlier this month, Lamar Jackson spent most of the second half on the sideline after his left ankle bent awkwardly in Baltimore's win over the Tennessee Titans. He kept his shoulder pads and jersey on, which suggested he might return. Three weeks later, it is still unclear when the Ravens quarterback will be back from a high ankle sprain.

Expectations have shifted several times. On the day Jackson was hurt, coach Jesse Minter said there were "some talks" about a return and first described "a little bit of an ankle" issue. Jackson then missed two weeks of practice and was ruled out against the Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns. Last week the team believed he could play Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. He was a limited practice participant all week, worked with the first-team offense Friday and joined the television production meetings, which usually signals a starter.

On Saturday, though, Jackson was ruled out after increased swelling in the ankle, according to a report during the CBS broadcast. Sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson posted that it "came as a shock to the Ravens that Lamar couldn't go." Minter later called that "a little bit" of a mischaracterization.

In his first comments since the injury, Jackson said the decision comes down to pain tolerance. Planting his foot while running still hurts. "If I can just go out there and feel the pain a little bit, I can play," he said. "But [if] I'm restricted and I can't do what I do, [then] I'm not helping [anybody]."

Jackson has missed multiple games because of injury in four of his past six seasons, yet calling him the NFL's most injured quarterback does not hold up. Since 2019 he has missed 17 games to injury, not counting COVID and illness. That is fewer than Kyler Murray (31), Dak Prescott (26), Daniel Jones (25) and Joe Burrow (22). Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey said earlier this month that Jackson gets unfair treatment, adding, "If Lamar Jackson can play, if he's healthy enough to play, he will play."

His absences carry heavy consequences. In the three seasons when he missed at least four games, Baltimore missed the playoffs twice, in 2021 and 2025. This year he began like an MVP candidate, ranking third in QBR at 82.7 with six touchdowns, one interception and a quarterback-best 144 rushing yards through four games. After the sprain, the Ravens fell from first in the AFC North at 3-1 to last in the division at 4-3. They visit the Bills (5-1) next, and Minter said Jackson is in a "decent spot" health-wise.

The first major injury of his career came in December 2021 in Cleveland, where he was carted off with a right ankle bone bruise that was not considered serious at first. He missed the final four games, all losses, and Baltimore slid from 8-5 and the division lead to missing the playoffs. Then-coach John Harbaugh said, "Those things are really unpredictable."

In December 2022, Jackson sprained his PCL when he was sacked by Jonathon Cooper. Harbaugh said it was not season-ending, but Jackson missed the last five regular-season games and the wild-card game in Cincinnati. Three days before that game, Jackson posted that his knee "remains unstable." The Ravens lost 24-17 after backup Tyler Huntley fumbled at the goal line and Cincinnati returned it 98 yards for the winning score.

A hamstring injury followed in late September 2025 in a loss at Kansas City, and Jackson missed three games amid confusion over his practice status. He never looked fully himself after returning, going 8-5 as a starter with 17 touchdown passes and seven interceptions while averaging 25 rushing yards over the final 13 games. This month he said coming back too soon was "dumb a little bit." Almost a year later, Minter said everyone will know when Jackson is ready: "he'll be on the field, and everybody will know when that is."