John Harbaugh Says Lamar Jackson Criticism Gets Taken 'Personally' by Ravens

John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens are not tolerating any Lamar Jackson criticism.

The two-time MVP missed the opening practice of the Ravens training camp due to an illness and Harbaugh addressed the absence while also deflating any negative buzz surrounding his quarterback.

"There's a lot of great things said about Lamar, but there's a lot of stuff that's said that you just got to scratch your head about and kind of wonder, 'What's that person even thinking?'" Harbaugh said, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN. "But we take it personally."

He continued by saying that Jackson's career trajectory is sky-high and that his work ethic can lead the Ravens to significant success.

"The vision that we have together is that Lamar Jackson is going to become and be known and be recognized as the greatest quarterback ever to play in the history of the National Football League," Harbaugh said, per Hensley. "It's going to happen by Lamar, his work ethic and his brilliant talent, by all of us pouring into that effort together as a team and by the grace of God and God's goodwill."

Jackson won his second MVP in 2023 when he threw for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns and added a team-leading 821 rushing yards and five touchdowns. This helped lead Baltimore to a 13-4 record and the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

Jackson possesses a 58-19 regular season record, but the success has not fully translated to the postseason. He is 2-4 in the playoffs and has reached the AFC title game one time. That came in the 2023 season, which ultimately saw Baltimore fall to the Kansas City Chiefs.

This lack of significant postseason success has given some critics a leg to stand on, but the 27-year-old should have many more opportunities to reverse that narrative.

Baltimore added Derrick Henry in the offseason, which should help the rushing attack, but Jackson's play will still be the main determining factor in just how far the team can go.