A Baltimore Sun op-ed describing the rift between longtime Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and team quarterback Lamar Jackson has gone viral.
Among other things, Mike Preston wrote in a column for The Sun that Jackson fell asleep during a team meeting.
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Harbaugh was asked about the incident and the article on Wednesday.
“I don’t know where this comes from,” Harbaugh said before Saturday’s road game against the Green Bay Packers.
“I’ve never seen this happen. Never. It’s not something I’ve witnessed firsthand, I’ve been in every meeting. And to speculate on how I feel about it… I’ll tell you how I feel. I’m transparent. I think everybody in the building will tell you that if I have any conversations, things that I want to talk to them about, I’m right up front.”
Preston wrote in the column that Harbaugh was “tired” of the two-time NFL MVP.
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Harbaugh emphasized Wednesday, however, that he had a good conversation with Jackson that morning. He said they talked about football, Jackson’s feelings and other topics as the dual-threat star tries to recover from a back contusion, the latest of several injuries he has suffered this season while playing for the 7-8 Ravens, who need the Pittsburgh Steelers to lose to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday to have a chance to win the AFC North title next week.
“Our relationship is A+,” Harbaugh said of his relationship with Jackson. “So I love him. Always have, always will. And I know he’s fighting like crazy to get back. So there’s nothing reported or anything said or written – I don’t need anyone to speak for me.
“Just ask me and I’ll tell you what I think.”
In Harbaugh and Jackson’s eight seasons together, the Ravens made the playoffs six times, won four division titles and earned a No. 1 seed in the AFC.
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However, they have yet to reach the Super Bowl during this span, and Jackson’s postseason record is just 3-5. He has only more touchdowns (10) than interceptions (7) in those games.
Baltimore needs two wins and some help to make another winning run in the postseason this season. Jackson hasn’t been his best self on the court for much of the season as he’s battled a series of injuries.
First, he missed three games this season with a hamstring injury. Jackson, whose 2022 and 2021 seasons were cut short by knee and ankle issues respectively, was one of several injured players for the Ravens when Baltimore fell to a 1-4 start.
He has been sidelined and limited in practice with knee, toe, ankle and back injuries since his return in Week 9.
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He has yet to miss another game, although his status for Saturday’s game in Green Bay is still up in the air. Jackson did not practice Tuesday or Wednesday. Harbaugh said Jackson is “everyday.”
“But he can definitely play without that kind of conditioning,” Harbaugh said. “He’s played a lot of football and won a lot of games for us. If he’s ready to go, he’s going to go. If he’s able to go, he’s going to go. You can bet on that.”
When asked about the specifics of the back contusion Jackson suffered in the first half of last week’s loss to the New England Patriots, Harbaugh said it was a deep tissue contusion and not just some black and blue marks.
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“I’m not a medical expert, but I did see the MRI,” he said. “It’s legitimately, very painful. The muscles around it are locked up. You can’t really move very well. He’s in the process of relaxing all that now, hopefully. You can’t really say when it’s going to be right.
“He’s got to be able to be an athlete, be able to move…so that’s what you’re working towards with all the treatments and everything. So trust me, if he can go out there and do that, this guy is one of the ultimate competitors you’ll ever see. If he’s able to go, he’s going to be there moving forward.”
