Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson decided to slim down a bit this offseason, and his motivation behind the change is pretty entertaining.
A recent report claimed Jackson is down 15 pounds this offseason and 25 since 2022. The two-time NFL MVP was asked about the weight loss during a recent interview with Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, and Jackson said he wanted to lose a few pounds because he “felt like I was fat.”
“I just saw a video from two years ago (against) the Browns, and I looked out of shape. But I was in shape,” Jackson said. “My eyes might be deceiving me, but I believe I looked a little slower to me, but not now.”
Jackson added that he believes his speed will be improved this upcoming season.
“Just so I could move around without getting fatigued, that’s all,” he said. “I don’t know if I was getting fatigued last year, probably if I get a first down. I don’t like getting caught if I do decide to run, so that’s part of it.”
https://twitter.com/NFLonCBS/status/1820620886388474120
One concern is that the slimmer version of Jackson will not be as equipped to take big hits. Though, you could argue that he can avoid more of that contact if he is even quicker.
Jackson rushed for 821 yards in 2024. He also had one of his best NFL passing seasons with a career-high 3,678 yards. Running is always going to be part of his game, so his emphasis needs to be on being as fast as possible while avoiding hits by sliding and getting out of bounds.
While Jackson has a reputation for being injury prone, he has played in 12 or more games in each of his six NFL seasons. Playing smart is more important for him than bulking up to better absorb contact.
Jackson is not the only star AFC quarterback who has tried to slim down this offseason.
