Video: Lamar Jackson Begins Offseason Workouts
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens coach John Harbaugh predicted that Lamar Jackson would begin working out shortly after the Super Bowl after dealing with an injured ankle over the last month of the season.
Sure enough, Jackson posted a video of throwing passes to wide receiver Rashod Bateman the week following the big game. He was also reportedly working out with James Proche.
Jackson was sidelined for 4 3/4 games with a bone bruise in his ankle that took a bit longer than anticipated to heal.
"He said it was really getting better," Harbaugh said shortly after the season. "He felt really confident that he was going to be able to get started. He said that he’s starting back to work the day after the Super Bowl – that’s his timeframe to get going and be healed up by then. So, that’s where he’s at with that, and that’s what happened.”
Jackson was carted off the field early in the second quarter with an ankle injury in a Week 14 loss against the Cleveland Browns. He was injured when Cleveland linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah hit the back of his lower right leg. Jackson fell to the ground and grabbed his ankle. He was listed as questionable to return before being ruled out after halftime.
Jackson never fully recovered and only practiced one time since enduring the injury. The Ravens were hopeful that he would be able to return to the lineup but he was never cleared to play over the final four games of the season.
"Lamar felt like he was going to be back," Harbaugh said. "The first week, he thought he had a chance. The second week, he assured me, he said, ‘I’ll be back. I’ll be back.’ He worked really hard at getting back, but it just didn’t really heal. It was in a spot where I’ve come to understand from the medical people that there’s not a great deal of blood flow down there in the low-ankle/foot area where the bruise was.
"It just didn’t heal very quickly, and it was painful. You could see it. He stayed in the boot longer than we thought. He was still limping, even at the end of the season – even in his boot."
Now, Jackson is on the road to recovery.
