Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson played one of the best games of his career on Sunday, and after Week 2’s ugly loss, he took the high road and complimented his opponents.
Of course, some people see it differently.
Jackson posted a message on Twitter congratulating the Miami Dolphins for their victory and also tagged the Ravens, saying “we gone bounce back.”
The quarterback could simply be paying his respects to a team that bested the Ravens on both offense and defense, but his seemingly casual social media interaction has nonetheless stirred the pot.
Jackson remains at the center of controversy having failed to extend his contract this offseason, fueling rumors that he could want out of Baltimore in 2023.
https://twitter.com/Lj_era8/status/1571625859215138819
When has Lamar ever congratulated a team via twitter this is scary not going to lie 😭
— Rameys Burner (@RameysBurner) September 18, 2022
Lamar Jackson inadvertently fuels rumors that he will leave the Ravens
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio claimed that the Dolphins are one of the potential suitors for Jackson “if/when the Ravens decide to abandon any effort to sign him and instead decide to trade him.”
Hussam Patel at Five Reasons Sports Network also believes Miami or another NFL team could acquire Jackson; according to a source, Jackson “privately told those close to him that he will not play if the franchise tag is placed on him.”
Neither of these reports holds much merit as the general consensus is that Jackson and the Ravens still want to work on finalizing an extension next year.
Jackson refusing to play under the franchise tag doesn’t seem to fit his style or personality — if he wanted to stage a holdout, he could have done so this offseason during training camp.
Jackson appears to be focused on putting together a successful 2022 season in Baltimore and has closed the door on contract negotiations for now.
The rumor mill will keep on churning, but Jackson and the Ravens will look to bounce back in a big way in Week 3.