There are three certainties in Baltimore: Old Bay seasoning, crab cakes, and Lamar Jackson fooling opposing defenses on gameday. But the two-time NFL MVP’s grip on the city goes way deeper than what fans watch on Sundays.
Matt Velasquez at Bleacher Report recently listed Baltimore as only an ‘honorable mention’ in his ranking of the most star-studded sports cities — despite Jackson being the kind of star who could carry an entire city’s profile by himself... which he essentially does.
Players needed top-tier accolades to qualify — like MVP votes or First-Team honors in the past few seasons. The NBA required a First-Team All-NBA nod since 2020 or a top-10 MVP finish since 2022. The NFL standard was a top-nine MVP finish or Defensive Player of the Year since 2020. Every league had its own criteria, but the focus was recent, proven greatness.
According to Velasquez’s methodology, the city only boasts two qualifying stars: Jackson and Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson:
“Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson have the Charm City eying championships, but they’re the only two stars by our metrics,” Velasquez wrote. “Running back Derrick Henry would have qualified in the past, while the O’s would have had another representative if they had been able to hold on to Corbin Burnes in free agency.”
But while the list was focused on hard metrics like MVP votes and All-NBA nods, what it couldn’t account for is something much harder to quantify — cultural footprint. And make no mistake: in Baltimore, Lamar Jackson is more than just the face of the Ravens. He is the Ravens. He is Baltimore.
Lamar Jackson has more cultural square footage than any athlete in Charm City
You don’t have to look far in Baltimore to see what Lamar Jackson means to the city. He’s on mural walls in West Baltimore, bootleg tees at gas stations, and barbershop windows like he’s part of the décor. And honestly? He kinda does.
He puts defenders on skates, makes plays with his athleticism you have to see to believe, and fires off throws that make announcers lose their voices (Kevin Harlan). Every Sunday feels like a highlight reel in real time — and the whole city is here for it.
More than that, his presence extends to the Ravens’ identity itself. The team has shaped its offense, brand, and roster around Jackson’s skillset and style — to great success. With two MVPs and a constant presence in the AFC mix, Lamar has become a fixture in the NFL and a cornerstone of Baltimore sports.
So while other cities may have more qualifying “stars” by Bleacher Report’s logic, no city has one that means more than Jackson does to Baltimore. He’s the centerpiece of the team, the spark behind their playoff hopes, and the pulse of the fanbase. Arbitrary metrics are fine. But if we’re talking real star power? You measure that in loyalty. And Baltimore’s got Lamar carved into the brick.