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When you think of an NFL quarterback, certain things probably come to mind. Historically, guys like Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana, and Tom Brady stood tall in the pocket and passed down the field. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, however, does things a bit differently.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has been a prolific runner this season.
Is Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson an underrated passer? | Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

This season, Jackson had done a great deal of work with his legs, as well as with his arm. But does the Ravens QB actually deserve more credit for his passing ability?

Lamar Jackson’s young career

While Lamar Jackson’s career is still young, the quarterback has already built up quite a resume.

After playing football and running track in high school, Jackson enrolled at the University of Louisville. He started eight games as a freshman and put up solid numbers, but the best was yet to come. During his sophomore season, Jackson exploded; he threw for 30 touchdowns and rushed for 21 more, becoming the youngest player to win the Heisman Trophy. The quarterback would play one more season for the Cardinals before declaring for the NFL draft.

While some questioned Jackson’s ability to play quarterback at the highest level, the Ravens selected him with the 32nd overall pick of the 2018 draft. He started the season as Joe Flacco’s back-up but took over the starting role after the veteran went down with a hip injury. When the 2019 season began, Jackson was under center; 10 games into the season, he hasn’t slowed down.

Jackson’s rushing and passing

When you watch the Baltimore Ravens, Lamar Jackson’s athleticism and running ability come to the forefront. Football fans simply aren’t used to see a quarterback rushing with that level of efficiency.

This season, Jackson has carried the ball 116 times in 10 games, racking up 781 yards and six touchdowns. He’s averaging 6.7 yards per carry, which leads the NFL, and has the 11th most rushing yards in the league. While there’s obviously a bit of a sample size issue in the former category, no one can deny Jackson’s running ability.

While Jackson’s passing numbers aren’t as prolific, they’re far from atrocious. The quarterback has only thrown for 2,258 yards this season, but that’s at least partially due to the Ravens’ offensive scheme; Jackson is actually averaging 8.1 yards per passing attempt, which is in the top third of the league. His passer rating and completion percentage are also respectable.

Does Lamar Jackson deserve more respect as a passer?

Lamar Jackson’s strength lies in his rushing ability. That doesn’t mean that he’s a bad passer, though. While his passing numbers may not be eye-popping in their own right, they’re more than respectable. When you can run as well as Jackson can, you just need to keep the defense honest and ensure that they can’t pack the box; his throwing ability is more than good enough to do that.

While Jackson is probably a better passer than he gets credit for, reducing him to either a passer or a runner somewhat misses the point. Lamar Jackson is the Baltimore Ravens quarterback; his job is to help the team’s offense function, whether that’s by passing, rushing, or handing the ball off. By that metric, he deserves a great deal of respect.

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Senior Writer, Programmer

Joe Kozlowski

Joe Kozlowski began his career as a sports journalist in 2013 and joined Sportscasting in 2019. He covers the NBA and soccer for Sportscasting, with specialties in legacy NBA players such as Michael Jordan and Premier League club Arsenal. Off the clock, he’s a Kansas City Chiefs fan and a hockey goalie.

Growing up loving Shaquille O’Neal and reading everything he could about the great big men throughout NBA history — likely because he was still tall enough, at least relative to his peers, to play center — he’s continued to love learning about and exploring the historical and story-based sides of the basketball archives.

As for Arsenal, Joe spent a year living in London and latched onto the local support of the club. He’s barely missed a match since, loving Arsene Wenger, enduring the Banter Era, and following along through rebuilds. The Premier League interest developed into a passionate following of the Champions League, Europe’s big five league, and international soccer as a whole when played at the highest level.

Regardless of the sport, Joe is captivated by the stories of athletes beyond the box scores and how they push the envelope — both in terms of what we think a human is capable of accomplishing and how they find new competitive tactics to win.