Lamar Jackson's Struggles: NFL MVPs Diagnose Ravens QB's Tumultuous Season

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Lamar Jackson's 2025 season with the Baltimore Ravens was marked by a significant decline in production, leading to the firing of long-time head coach John Harbaugh. Former NFL MVPs Rich Gannon, Matt Ryan, and Kurt Warner have analyzed the key factors behind Jackson's struggles, including a hamstring injury, reduced practice time, poor offensive line performance, and a decrease in rushing attempts.

Why it matters

Lamar Jackson is one of the NFL's most unique and talented quarterbacks, having won the MVP award in 2019. His struggles in 2025 were unexpected and led to significant changes within the Ravens organization. Understanding the reasons behind his decline is crucial for determining whether he can regain his elite form and lead the Ravens back to contention in the competitive AFC.

The details

Jackson suffered a hamstring injury in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs, which impacted his and the Ravens' offensive performance for the rest of the season. Prior to the injury, Baltimore was the highest-scoring team in the league, averaging 37 points per game. However, after Jackson's return five weeks later, the Ravens failed to reach 30 points in any of the remaining 10 games he started - the longest such drought of his career. Reduced practice time also played a role, as Jackson missed the first practice of the week for six consecutive weeks due to a series of injuries and illnesses, limiting his opportunities to build chemistry and refine timing with his receivers. The offensive line's poor performance, with a sack rate of 9.8% and a pressure rate of 37.1%, was also a significant factor, as consistent pressure can negatively impact even the most talented quarterbacks. Additionally, Jackson's accuracy declined, with his precision pass rate in 2025 being the lowest since his rookie season. The most drastic change in Jackson's game was the marked decrease in rushing attempts, which averaged only 5.2 per start, the fewest of his career.

• In Week 4, Jackson suffered a hamstring injury in Kansas City.
• Jackson returned to the lineup five weeks later.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The new head coach, Jesse Minter, has stated his intention to create an offensive system where Jackson doesn't feel he needs to be a 'Superman' on every play, which could help the quarterback regain his MVP form and lead the Ravens back to contention in the AFC.