Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has done it all. He’s a two-time MVP, a first-team All-Pro multiple times over, and the NFL’s all-time leading rusher at his position. He’s even in the running for a third MVP award after a historic 2024 season. But when it comes to how he’s officiated, especially in the playoffs, Jackson seems to get the short end of the stick.
Let’s talk roughing the passer calls—or lack thereof. In his eight career playoff games, Jackson has been hit 49 times as a passer, and not once has a flag been thrown for roughing.
For context, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has seven calls, getting a roughing call every 15 hits. Josh Allen, who also plays a physical, dual-threat style, has drawn two roughing flags, averaging one every 32 hits in the playoffs. Lamar? Zero. Zilch. Nothing. Nada.
Mahomes gets a roughing the passer penalty once every 15 times he’s hit.
— Matthew Kobach (@mkobach) January 25, 2025
Josh Allen: 1 out of 32
Jared Goff: 1 out of 52
Joe Burrow: 0 out of 52
Lamar Jackson: 0 out of 49
Matthew Stafford: 0 out of 42
Jalen Hurts: 0 out of 35 pic.twitter.com/6Rwvwn7P9T
For a quarterback who regularly absorbs contact in and out of the pocket, Jackson’s lack of calls raises serious questions. Are refs treating him differently because of his mobility? Are defenders being allowed to hit him harder without consequence because he’s known for escaping tackles? Whatever the reason, the numbers are glaring, and they’re impossible to ignore.
Lamar gets tackled as he was going out of bounds. A fight almost breaks out and no flags were thrown. pic.twitter.com/rzfnFzXUr4
— Rate the Refs (@Rate_the_Refs) January 20, 2025
Lamar gets absolutely no love from the refs
The NFL’s rulebook is clear: quarterbacks, especially those in passing posture, are afforded extra protections against unnecessary hits. Yet, Jackson, one of the most dynamic and targeted quarterbacks in the league, doesn’t seem to benefit from these rules.
In fact, it’s almost as if his style of play works against him. When Jackson turns into a runner, the protections for the QB change. However, it's not like he's only taking these hits when he's out of the pocket as a runner.
When Jackson is in the pocket, he’s still viewed as a runner by some officials, leading to fewer calls. When he scrambles or throws on the move, it’s as if those protections disappear altogether. Mahomes can slide or take a late hit and draw a flag. Heck, he can get breathed on too hard, and the laundry will fly. Jackson, on the other hand, can get smacked late out of bounds, and the refs can't be bothered to blow the whistle.
This isn’t just anecdotal; it’s a pattern. In the 2024 playoffs, Jackson absorbed an obvious late hip-drop tackle out of bounds in the Ravens’ heartbreaking loss to the Bills. Didn't draw a flag. Compare that to Mahomes, who picked up a 15-yard penalty for a very questionable hit during the Chiefs’ Divisional Round playoff game against the Texans when he was a runner.
The disparity is overwhelmingly frustrating.
This isn’t about asking for preferential treatment—it’s about fair treatment. Lamar Jackson is one of the faces of the league, and he deserves to be officiated like it. Ignoring hits on Jackson sets a dangerous precedent, one that could lead to unnecessary injuries or worse. If the NFL is serious about protecting quarterbacks, it can’t afford to let this continue to slide.
For Jackson, the focus remains on winning, not on the officiating. However, it's hard to watch Jackson get rocked with no penalty called while it's happening on the other side of the ball. Make it make sense.