Ravens news: Rashod Bateman buys his mom a house with first paycheck

The Baltimore Ravens expect big things from rookie wide receiver Rashod Bateman on the field this season. But off the field, he’s already making quite the impact.

Bateman officially signed his rookie contract last month, and once his first paycheck came in, he used that money to buy his mom a new house.

It’s a sign of appreciation that we’ve seen before, but this one hits especially hard if you know a little about Bateman’s upbringing.

The rookie wideout shared the news with the world via an Instagram post on Friday.

Rashod Bateman shows appreciation to his mom after a difficult upbringing.

Bateman’s mother, Lashonda Cromer, worked numerous jobs and ridiculous hours to support Bateman and his two brothers growing up. She was a victim of physical abuse but did everything in her power to help her family make ends meet.

We don’t have time to delve into specifics here, but Bateman detailed his difficult upbringing in an incredible piece from Ryan Mink last month. As a side note, I highly encourage anyone who hasn’t already read it to check it out.

It helps shed some light on Bateman’s story and how important his mother is to him.

Bateman has spoken glowingly of his mother in the past and made sure to follow through on a promise he made earlier this year.

When asked about how he would spend his first paycheck, Bateman’s answer was simple. ‘I’ll definitely be buying my mom a house first,” Bateman said.

And that’s exactly what he did.

The Ravens have high hopes for Rashod Bateman on the field in 2021.

The Ravens will be counting on Bateman to provide a significant boost to a passing attack that ranked dead-last in the NFL a year ago.

Baltimore has been searching for a true star wide receiver since, well, pretty much their entire existence. The hope is that Bateman could develop into the closest thing the team has had to a superstar at the position.

Along with fellow offseason additions Sammy Watkins and Tylan Wallace, he will join the likes of Marquise Brown and Devin Duvernay in a revamped wide receiver room.

Bateman impressed this spring and looks the part of the NFL-ready, route-running wizard that the Ravens believed they drafted back in late April.

On and off the field, Rashod Bateman is already making a difference.