Have the Baltimore Ravens become the AFC’s version of the Dallas Cowboys since the addition of Lamar Jackson? Baltimore has a 78-38 record through Jackson’s seven-year tenure, with six playoff appearances. But they’ve reached the conference championship just one time and have zero Super Bowls to brag about.
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When you think of regular-season success translating into postseason failure, Dallas will always come to mind. Baltimore, though, is sitting in a similar position. No matter how well the team – or Jackson specifically – performs during the regular season, the Ravens have been unable to avoid backbreaking mistakes in the biggest playoff moments.
Thus far, Jackson has exceeded the Ravens’ wildest expectations. He’s already the greatest dual-threat quarterback in NFL history. Beyond that, he has a legitimate argument to be the NFL’s best quarterback. But the lack of that Super Bowl ring on his finger is glaringly obvious. Despite this, though, John Harbaugh continues to bank on Lamar because, as he says, “Everyone in that locker room…wants that kind of success.”
While he admitted that the Ravens have not elevated their game to the standard necessary to win in the postseason, Harbaugh expressed that the team “has such a desire, just such a determination to get it done.” But no matter how long it takes, they’re never going to give up on reaching the promised land.
“[We] for Lamar [and] for all the guys. Every single person in that locker room. Every single person in that building. We want that kind of success… we’re doing so many things right… [but] we haven’t been able to be good enough when we needed to… to take the next step,” he said during the NFL Annual meeting.
Most times, the Ravens’ postseason falls have come down to what can only be called silly mistakes. Like the time Tyler Huntley fumbled the ball during the 2023 Wild Card playoff game against the Bengals, which was recovered by Sam Hubbard to run 98 yards for a touchdown. Or the time L’Jarius Sneed stripped Zay Flowers at the goal line to cause a fumble.
Saying Lamar Jackson is hellbent on bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Baltimore may be an understatement. He’s just 28 years old, but a championship is the only thing missing from his already Hall-of-Fame-worthy resume. And he has something to prove.
Lamar Jackson promised to bring the Lombardi to Baltimore
When Jackson was entering the NFL, there weren’t many people who thought he’d succeed as a quarterback. Hall of Fame general manager Bill Polian – who drafted Peyton Manning and constructed the Super Bowl XLI champion Indianapolis Colts – even suggested he pivot to wide receiver ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft.
Other teams shared his thoughts. As a result, Jackson started slipping down the board. The Ravens actually passed on him to take tight end Hayden Hurst at No. 25 overall. But when the No. 32 pick came on the clock, and he was still available, they couldn’t resist his upside.
3️⃣2️⃣ DAYS UNTIL THE DRAFT
The @Ravens traded up to take Lamar Jackson with the 32nd pick in 2018. He has since been a 3x First-Team All-Pro and 2x MVP @lj_era8 pic.twitter.com/vCi9ttZZfJ
— NFL (@NFL) March 23, 2025
They made a trade to secure the selection, then ended Jackson’s slide. Moments later, Jackson told Deion Sanders he’d win a Super Bowl for Baltimore one day. If he can play anywhere near the level he performed at during the 2024 season and the Ravens can limit their mistakes in the 2026 playoffs, that just may wind up being the case.
