Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Thanks God for Ability to Play: ‘Keep God First’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Baltimore Ravens, led by quarterback Lamar Jackson, are one of the top-seeded teams heading into the NFL playoffs.
Jackson, a Heisman Trophy winner, 2019 NFL MVP and this season’s predicted MVP, praised God following his team’s 37-point victory over the Miami Dolphins.
“I just thank God for [giving me the health to play],” he said after the game on Sunday. “I should have started the presser off by thanking God…The last two seasons I wasn’t able to fight with my team. I had to do it from the sidelines and just cheer guys on. But I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
Jackson is a solid believer and outspoken about his faith.
In the spring of 2023, he joined “The Wunderkind Show.” On the podcast, he offered a piece of encouragement to kids who are struggling.
“You’ve got to keep God first,” Jackson said. “Pray to God, and you’ve got to be consistent with God. It’s not like making a wish, like seeing a shooting star and just making a wish. You’ve got to be consistent when you’re praying to God…He’s gonna hear our prayers.”
Jackson also revealed that “the Lord” is his secret to staying humble.
“I give Him all His praise, the glory, the honor, because of what I am,” he told Sports Spectrum in 2019. “I could have been doing anything. It’s crazy. I’ll be thinking about it, talking to Him throughout the day, like, ‘Man, I appreciate You, I thank You.’ Because if you feel like you’re bigger than the Lord, that’s when all that success dies. It goes away.
“You got to let Him know He’s the reason you [have had] that much success,” he continued. “So I appreciate that from Him. And I’ve got my family around me, my teammates, great teammates, coaching staff. We’ve just got to keep it going and let the Lord know He’s No. 1.”
For more inspiring sports stories, check out Sports Spectrum.
Movieguide® previously reported on Jackson’s contract extension with the Ravens:
In a press conference following the contract extension, Jackson stated, “I just really wanted to get something done here. I wanted to be here. … I really want to finish my career here and win a Super Bowl here.”
Apart from that, Jackson made sure to give all the credit back to God.
“It is not about what people say. … It is about believing in yourself at the end of the day,” Jackson stated. “Keeping God first because without Him, there is no Lamar Jackson. I’m gonna tell you that now.”
As Jackson waited for the organization to offer him, his faith never wavered.
“I kept Him first at all times no matter what I went through. … I just kept my faith with Him, and now we’re here,” he said.
