John Harbaugh Draws Strong Reaction With Bold Lamar Jackson Statement

John Harbaugh Draws Strong Reaction With Bold Lamar Jackson Statement originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Back in 2018, the Baltimore Ravens made the pivotal decision to trade up for the final pick of the first round in the NFL draft to select former Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson out of Louisville. Since then, it has proven to be one of the best moves in franchise history.

Now entering his eighth NFL season, Jackson has silenced many critics who once questioned his passing abilities and long-term potential as an NFL quarterback. He’s become a two-time MVP, four-time Pro Bowler, three-time All-Pro, and boasts a 70–24 record as a starter — all under the guidance of head coach John Harbaugh.

In a recent interview with ESPN’s Kevin Clark, Harbaugh praised Jackson’s character and talent, even going so far as to call him “as good as any passer that there's ever been,” following what many considered his most complete season as a passer in 2024.

"There’s so many things, and Lamar as a person is the thing I’d say I appreciate the most — the leader, the person, the genuine human being that he is. I mean, I love him as a person,” Harbaugh said. “But I think from a football standpoint, just go to the most basic, simple thing — Lamar as a passer. He is a historically good passer. And that’s really quite a statement because of the narrative that’s been surrounding him ever since the beginning."

He continued, "Lamar Jackson can throw the football. He can throw it every kind of way, he can make every kind of throw any way you want. He’s as good as any passer that there’s ever been — and I think now the numbers are proving that."

Incredible This Is Football interview with John Harbaugh. I asked him where Lamar Jackson has grown the most in his game and he detailed his "historic" passing.

"He is as good as any passer that there's ever been and now the numbers have proven that."

(Psst. He's right). pic.twitter.com/iJsHrw2JGk

— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) July 31, 2025

Fans reacted to Harbaugh's statement of his star quarterback:

"We watched Lamar Jackson have one of the best QB seasons ever and it’s barely talked about," a fan said.

Someone else added, "John ain't tell no lies."

Another person wrote, "Umm...that's a take. Not a good take but hey, he's your multi million dollar starting QB, you are allowed to stan over him."

"Lol, okay John, okay," one more fan commented.

Last season, the Ravens captured the AFC North title and advanced to the divisional round before falling short. Lamar Jackson finished the year as a serious MVP candidate once again, completing 66.7% of his passes for a career-high 4,172 yards and 41 passing touchdowns—also a career best. His impact as a dual-threat quarterback remained strong, adding 915 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on the ground.

Now, the next step for Jackson and the Ravens is clear: competing for a Super Bowl. While they've consistently been in the mix, they’ve struggled to get over the hump in key playoff moments—especially against AFC powerhouses like the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.

In the past decade, only two active AFC quarterbacks have reached the Super Bowl: Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow. The only others during that span were legends Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

Related: "This Can't Be All": Tom Brady Gets Candid on Scottie Scheffler

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 31, 2025, where it first appeared.