Lamar Jackson Injury Raises Concerns After 2025 Decline

Baltimore's playoff ambitions face another challenge as quarterback Lamar Jackson prepares to miss the Ravens' Week 5 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons with an ankle sprain. His absence comes after a 2025 season in which a hamstring injury preceded a significant statistical decline, raising concerns about how another lower-body problem could affect his performance throughout the 2026 NFL season.

Jackson's production through the first four games of 2026 remains comparable to his strong opening stretch last year. According to the statistics reported by Yahoo Sports, he has completed 70.8% of his passes for 967 yards, six touchdowns and one interception, while adding 144 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.

The comparison with 2025 highlights the importance of Jackson's recovery. Before his hamstring injury last season, he completed 71.6% of his passes and averaged 217.25 passing yards, 2.5 passing touchdowns and 41.5 rushing yards per game across four games.

After missing three games because of that injury, Jackson played nine more games, with his passing completion rate falling to 59.9%. His averages dropped to 186.67 passing yards, 1.2 passing touchdowns and 20.3 rushing yards per game, while his interceptions increased from 0.25 to 0.67 per game, according to Yahoo Sports.

The change also affected Jackson's scoring consistency. He opened the 2025 campaign with 10 touchdown passes and one interception, but went without a passing touchdown in four of his nine games after returning from injury. He also failed to reach 200 passing yards in five of those nine appearances.

Jackson's rushing touchdown average fell from 0.25 per game before the injury to 0.11 afterward. The reduced rushing production reflected a season in which lower-body problems limited his ability to contribute as a runner.

Before the 2026 season, Jackson explained why he had limited his running while dealing with physical problems. In comments reported by ESPN, he said:

"It really would not [have] put my team in a good position if I was just running hurt -- losing yards, things like that [were] happening. But whatever it takes to win, that is what I am all about and [I have] always been about that too."

Baltimore missed the playoffs in 2025, while Jackson failed to finish in the top two of MVP voting for the third consecutive season. The team's hopes of returning to the postseason in 2026 depend in part on maintaining stronger production from its starting quarterback.

The current injury differs from last year's hamstring problem because Jackson is dealing with an ankle sprain. However, both injuries affect his lower body, potentially requiring him to manage his rushing workload carefully when he returns to action.

Jackson is confirmed to miss Baltimore's Week 5 game against Atlanta, but the team has not announced a timetable for his return, according to Yahoo Sports. An ankle sprain can take a few weeks to heal, making a two-to-four-week absence possible, although his actual recovery period remains uncertain.