Lamar Jackson on Flacco: 'There Was No Pettiness With Joe'
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OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson says he is not playing against Joe Flacco this week.
His team's defense is competing against the Jets' quarterback.
Jackson's focus will also be elsewhere.
"I’m going against the Jets defense, but he meant a lot," Jackson said about Flacco. "Playing with a Super Bowl quarterback, seeing what he did on the field, stuff like that, how he took apart the game, took apart practice and stuff like that. Seeing him sling the ball from one side of the field to the next side of the field, from our 20 [-yard line] to the opposite opponent’s 20 [-yard line] … It was ridiculous. It will be great seeing him.”
Flacco spent 11 seasons in Baltimore and owns almost every career statistic for a quarterback in Ravens history. He also led the team to three AFC Championship Games and had just one losing season.
Flacco is best remembered for leading the Ravens to their second championship in the 2012-2013 season when he was named MVP of Super Bowl XLVII. Flacco, the 18th overall pick in the 2008 draft, led Baltimore to the playoffs in each of his first five seasons and went 10-5 as a starter in the postseason.
In 2019, Flacco suffered a hip injury in Week 9 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, opening the door for Lamar Jackson to take over the starter. Jackson never relinquished the job even when Flacco was cleared to play.
Jackson said Flacco was completely helpful throughout his rookie campaign.
“He [Joe Flacco] was still the starter when I got here," Jackson said. "There was nothing awkward going on in the locker room. If I asked a question in the meeting room or something like that, he would give me an answer.
"There was no pettiness going on with Joe, he was being a real professional quarterback. So, it was all good.”
Ravens coach John Harbaugh also thought that Jackson and Flacco handled the delicate situation well.
"They both handled it great. If I think back quickly, Lamar was excited to be with Joe and learn from Joe, in terms of what Joe could teach him as a quarterback, and he did a great job I thought," Harbaugh said. "Joe was great with Lamar; Joe supported him and helped him, and even at the end there – when Joe came back and Lamar was the quarterback – Joe was very supportive of him there. If you remember the story in the playoffs, Joe wanted Lamar to stay in the game there. So, all those things are true.”
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