Jamison HensleyOct 28, 2025, 05:02 PM ET
- Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- When Lamar Jackson returns from a hamstring injury to start Thursday night's game in Miami, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player acknowledged there is little margin for error for the Baltimore Ravens.
Jackson emphatically nodded his head when he was asked if it's going to feel like playoff time for a Ravens team that is off to a 2-5 start.
"Coach [John Harbaugh] touched on that with us in a team meeting: Each and every game is going to be like a win-or-go home game," Jackson said after Tuesday's practice. "It's do-or-die right now, each and every week."
Even though Jackson was sidelined for three games with a right hamstring injury, Jackson still played a leadership role. After the 37-20 loss in Kansas City on Sept. 28, Jackson told the head equipment manager to remove all the recreational distractions from the locker room, which included getting rid of the ping-pong table, video game consoles, cornhole boards, a basketball hoop and a pinball machine.
Jackson said all the games will be out of the locker room for the rest of the season and could return for offseason workouts in the spring.
"I told him to take all the games, ping pong, turn off the TVs -- if we could have taken out the TVs they'd have been out of here, too," Jackson said. "I appreciate Mr. Steve [Bisciotti, Ravens owner] for putting that in for us but we had to focus. I wouldn't say people don't take the job seriously -- don't get me wrong -- but I didn't feel like it was time for that. We have a lot of work to do."
When Jackson plays Thursday night, it will mark a 32-day span between games for him. He returned to practice last week and has been a full participant in practice this week.
Before the injury, Jackson led the NFL with a 130.5 passer rating, throwing 10 touchdowns and one interception. At that time, Jackson was quarterbacking an offense that was averaging 32.7 points per game.
Jackson said his hamstring "feels great" and he doesn't anticipate any rust at the start of the game.
"That's what practice is for," Jackson said. "I feel like we had a great day today. We'll execute tomorrow. Come Thursday night, we'll just fly."
Jackson indicated that it's ultimately his decision on whether he plays with an injury. In describing the injury as "challenging," he felt like he needed to have patience with his rehab. This is the first time he's ever had a hamstring injury.
"You don't want to rush a hamstring injury back and make it worse, and then you're out for a whole season," Jackson said. "I feel like hamstring injuries can be tricky. I thought I'd be able to move sometimes, and then I would feel a little tug early on when I was rehabbing. I don't want to end my season or end my career on a hamstring injury."
Jackson's 71 wins in 98 career starts are the fifth-most by a quarterback in their first 100 career starts since starts were first tracked in 1950, according to ESPN Research.
