Lamar Jackson Reveals Real Reason Why He Slimmed Down: ‘I Don’t Like Getting Caught’

Lamar Jackson, the NFL Top 100's top-voted quarterback, recently revealed the reason for his weight reduction in an interview.

By Suyash Sinha

Published on Aug 07, 2024 | 05:21 PM IST | 37.5K

Lamar Jackson

Lamar Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens' standout quarterback, has been one of the top players in the NFL in recent years, and his success may be attributed to his fitness. Lamar had shed about 25 pounds since the 2022 season when he attended a training camp at 220 pounds after weighing approximately 208 pounds.

When questioned about his weight reduction during a training camp interview with Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the Ravens quarterback claimed he opted to drop weight because he believed he "was fat."

Lamar Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens quarterback, hopes to be even more explosive next season after being named NFL MVP for 2023. Jackson may have some more speed this year, though, after slimming down since the 2022 season.

When Jackson came for optional OTAs in May, he was significantly slimmer than he was at the end of last season. The quarterback did not reveal how much weight he has lost, but when questioned about it during a recent interview with Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Jackson stated that he wanted to reduce a few pounds because he "felt like I was fat."

Lamar stated, "I was fat, and I felt like I was fat. I recently viewed a two-year-old film of the Browns, and I looked out of shape. But I was in shape," when questioned about his weight two years ago.

When asked if he felt like he was going slower or if he looked slower, Jackson responded as follows: Jackson stated, "My eyes may be fooling me, but I feel I appear a bit slower to me. Not now."

Jackson stated that he expects his speed to improve this season. Jackson went on to give more explanations for his weight shift: "Just so I could go about without feeling tired, that's all. I'm not sure if I was tired last year when I got a first down, but I don't enjoy being caught if I decide to run. So that's part of it. I'm just 27; I'm still youthful."

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Jackson previously stated that he weighed roughly 230 pounds during training camp for the 2022 season, having purposely added 12 to 15 pounds of muscular mass. The quarterback was listed on the Ravens roster at 215 pounds for the 2023 season, similar to the weight he entered the NFL.

Jackson is considered the best running quarterback in NFL history, and he was also named a top quarterback in the NFL Top 100 in 2024. Last year, Jackson had 148 carries for 821 yards, his most since the 2020 season. He averaged 5.5 yards per rush and scored five touchdowns, but those figures are anticipated to climb next season given his clear ambitions.

Jackson received his second MVP award after leading the Ravens to a 13-3 record and the AFC Conference's top seed. Jackson's bid for a third MVP title and maybe a third career season with more than 1,000 running yards will begin on September 5, when the Ravens face the Kansas City Chiefs.

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