Lamar Jackson Still Sees Racial Bias Against Black Quarterbacks

OWINGS Mills, Md. — Lamar Jackson still sees a racial bias toward Black quarterbacks, and the only way to quiet the critics is to win a Super Bowl.

Speaking on LeBron James' YouTube interview show "The Shop," Jackson said he personally has taken criticism because some people contend he's not a real quarterback.

"It's still there," Jackson said about the racial bias. "That's why I need that championship."

Jackson already won NFL MVP in his second year when he became the only quarterback in NFL history to produce at least 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a season.

Nonetheless, some of his critics claim he is just a glorified running back and he's responded to those naysayers.

After he threw for 324 yards and five touchdowns in a 59-10 win over the Dolphins in 2019, Jackson graded his performance by saying, “Not bad for a running back" in his postgame press conference.

Jackson played just 12 games last season because of an illness against the Bears and an ankle injury he suffered against the Browns. He threw for 2,882 yards with 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

The Ravens are looking to sign him to a long-term contract but there has been a lull in the negotiations.

The Ravens already exercised Jackson's fifth-year option that will pay him $23.02 million this season.

"We've discussed this at length and I said this before," GM Eric DeCosta said. "We will work at Lamar's urgency. He and I have had ongoing discussions. We've talked fairly recently as well. He knows how to find me, I know how to find him."