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The NFL is investigating how the Baltimore Ravens handled superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson’s injury designation before Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.
Jackson, who has been battling a hamstring injury, was expected to return to the Ravens’ offense this week coming off their bye. However, the two-time league MVP was ruled out against the Bears prior to Sunday’s 1 p.m. start. He was a full participant in Friday’s practice, which signaled that he would play Sunday. But on Saturday, he was ruled out.
The Ravens could be subject to league discipline if they are found to have violated the league’s injury report policy.
“The league will look into this,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told ESPN on Saturday. “The league reviews any matter involving a change to a player’s status.”
The Ravens released their own statement on the matter, saying they contacted the league office before making the call on Jackson.
RAVENS STAR KYLE HAMILTON FEELS TEAM CAN STILL WRITE ‘GREAT STORY’ DESPITE 1-5 START TO SEASON
“Upon further evaluation today and after conferring with the league office, because Lamar didn’t take any starter reps in practice, we updated our report to reflect his practice participation,” the statement read.
ESPN added that, while Jackson was considered a full participant on Friday, he was running with the scout team while Tyler “Snoop” Huntley was running with the starting offense.
Huntley was set to start on Sunday over Cooper Rush, who was the starter for the Ravens since Jackson went down. He was, however, benched during the blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams prior to the bye week for Huntley, as he struggled to get the offense going.
Jackson’s injury remaining an issue couldn’t come at a worse time for the Ravens, as they sit at 1-5 in what has been one of the most shocking developments for a Super Bowl hopeful this season.
It’s no secret how much of a loss Jackson is due to his play-making abilities. Safety Kyle Hamilton recently gave Fox News Digital an optimistic outlook for the Ravens, who need to put together a win streak if they wish to make the playoffs. But he knows how much Jackson factors into those hopes.
“Lamar’s our quarterback, and he’s the guy who puts butts in seats in the stadium, sells tickets and wins games for us,” Hamilton said. “Obviously, we contribute to that as well defensively and supporting guys on the offense. But, at the end of the day, [No.] 8 is what makes this thing go.”
The Ravens will be forced to lean on Huntley, who is 3-7 over his career as a backup for Jackson. He has thrown an even seven touchdowns to seven interceptions over those 10 games that span five seasons.
Since 2018, the Ravens are 4-12 without Jackson at quarterback with a current six-game losing streak.
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