Lamar Jackson reportedly expected to miss 6-9 weeks, is telling teammates he'll return this season

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is projected to be sidelined for six to nine weeks, with reports indicating he will return before the 2026 NFL season concludes. According to ESPN, Jackson informed his teammates to "just stay alive" as he anticipated his return. The injury occurred during the team's Week 8 matchup against the Buffalo Bills, when Jackson's thumb collided with that of Bills defender Greg Rousseau during the first pass of the game.

Jackson was substituted by Tyler Huntley, who also suffered a season-ending turf toe injury. The Ravens placed both players on injured reserve on Thursday, though Jackson's injury severity was not disclosed publicly. Head coach Jesse Minter only hinted at the possibility of Jackson's absence for the remainder of the season. Should Jackson require a longer recovery period, he might return as early as early January, around Week 18 or during the playoffs.

This scenario could pose challenges for the team, as their loss of both stars in the postseason might be difficult to overcome. After the Week 8 loss to the Bills, the Ravens' record dropped to 4-4. The team's performance declined further following Jackson's injury; they lost 33-10 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9, with third-stringer Joe Fagnano performing poorly.

Earlier, the team had acquired veteran Jacoby Brissett from the Arizona Cardinals in a trade. However, Brissett was not ready to play at the time of this report and is likely to start once he is fit. This account will be updated.