Lamar Jackson Has ‘Embraced’ More Vocal Leadership Role, Ravens OC Todd Monken Says

AP Photo/Gail Burton

For a while, the Ravens did not know if quarterback Lamar Jackson would be back in Baltimore next fall.

Now, he’s helping lead the team.

First-year offensive coordinator Todd Monken said Jackson has “embraced” a new leadership role with the team, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec.

“He has embraced it,” Monken said. “He’s embraced trying to be louder, trying to be in control. He’s embraced learning the system, and we’ve still got a ways to go. It’s always a work in progress. We’re always under construction, in terms of making sure that we execute at a high level, because execution trumps everything.”

Monken has been allowing Jackson to make positional adjustments out of the huddle, Zrebiec reported.

“That’s the start of what we do—quarterback being loud,” Monken said.

Jackson is heading into his sixth season with the Ravens. Last year, his numbers dipped in part due to Baltimore’s thinned-out receiver corps. He recorded 17 touchdowns on 2,242 passing yards and seven interceptions.

With veteran Odell Beckham Jr. and Boston College product Zay Flowers padding out the team’s receiving depth, Jackson now has a few more targets.

When discussing Jackson’s leadership after the Ravens quarterback was unanimously named NFL MVP in 2019 with Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer, Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said Jackson led by example.

“He’s who he is. That’s what I love about him. That’s what makes him such a good leader,” Harbaugh said. “He’s so genuine. He doesn’t try to be what people say a quarterback is supposed to be. You walk in and try to tell him, ‘Hey, this is how a quarterback is supposed to act,’ he’ll respect you. He’ll say, ‘OK.’ But he’s going to be himself.”

The team has recently been working with Jackson on demonstrating leadership in what he says in addition to what he does, the quarterback said in May.

“I’m going to try to be more of a vocal leader, because Coach was like, ‘You need to start speaking more,'” Jackson said. “I just try to lead by example, but I’ll try to be more of a vocal leader.”