Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was unable to finish Week 4’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs after sustaining a hamstring injury.
The two-time MVP exited in the second half with the Ravens already trailing by multiple scores, remaining on the sideline as Cooper Rush took over at quarterback. Jackson appeared to suffer the injury while being tackled by a Chiefs defender.
Lamar Jackson is out of the game for the Ravens. It's a hamstring injury -- here's what happened: pic.twitter.com/e1NbbrVPNh
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) September 28, 2025
Jackson is obviously the most important player on the Ravens roster, so whenever he misses time it is a big deal. Here is a breakdown of how long Jackson's injury could keep him out.
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Lamar Jackson injury details
The Baltimore Sun reports that the hamstring injury that Jackson suffered against the Chiefs could sideline him for 2-3 weeks. Jackson will attempt to play in Week 5's contest against the Houston Texans, but it is more likely that he will not be able to suit up.
The Ravens did not commit to Jackson missing that amount of time yet, but head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that the quarterback would've returned to the game if he was cleared.
"The way I know Lamar, if he could've gone in the game, he would've been in the game," Harbaugh said. "That's how Lamar is."
#Ravens coach John Harbaugh on QB Lamar Jackson and his hamstring injury: "The way I know Lamar, if he could've gone in the game, he would've been in the game. That's how Lamar is."
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 29, 2025
That does open the door to Jackson missing next Sunday vs. the #Texans.
If Jackson can't play, then backup Cooper Rush will make his first start with Baltimore.
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Hamstring strain recovery time in the NFL
Recovery time for hamstring strains largely depends on the severity of the injury. A mild strain typically sidelines a player for only a few weeks, while a more serious one can require months of recovery.
In Jackson’s case, early indications suggest his hamstring issue is on the milder side, which should allow him to return to action sooner rather than later.
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Hamstring strain grades
When a player gets a hamstring strain, it means the player may have tore some muscles in his hamstring as well. However, there are different grades for each strain depending on how severe the injury is.
Grade 1: The mildest hamstring strain is a grade 1 hamstring strain, as this means the player tore very little muscle in the area
Grade 2: The second grade means that the player a moderate amount of muscle in his hamstring, resulting in a partial tear.
Grade 3: The most sever hamstring strain is a grade 3 version, which means the muscle in the hamstring is completely torn.
Due to the variety of grades, hamstring injuries are very frequent among athletes, especially NFL skill players.
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