There is no doubt Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is one of the most electrifying players in the NFL when healthy, but keeping him 100% healthy has been a challenge at times.
Between MVP campaigns in 2019 and 2023, Jackson ended two seasons on the sidelines due to injury, and 2025 quickly began to get away from the Ravens when another injury struck.
It’s likely no coincidence Jackson’s fully healthy seasons have been far and away his best. After recovering from injury in 2022, Jackson returned to MVP form, winning his second MVP award in 2023 before putting together an even more impressive campaign the following season from a statistical standpoint.
Here’s a look back at Jackson’s injury history and how many games he has missed due to injury.
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Lamar Jackson injury history
2021: Ankle sprain
After missing one game for a pre-playoff break in 2019 and another due to COVID-19 in 2020, Jackson missed his first games because of injury in 2021.
While a non-COVID illness initially cost him a game against the Chicago Bears in 2021, Jackson went on to miss the Ravens’ final four games of the season with a significant ankle sprain. He suffered the injury early in a loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 14, and Baltimore limped to an 0-5 finish and missed the playoffs with Jackson out of the mix.
2022: PCL sprain
Jackson struggled to match his MVP production in 2022, throwing 10 touchdowns over his first three starts but just seven over his final nine before going down with a sprained PCL in his knee.
Despite being labeled week to week and hoping for a playoff return, Jackson missed the final five games of the regular season and the Ravens’ wild-card matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. Baltimore went 3-3 without Jackson, including a playoff loss, and some wondered whether he had played his last down as a Raven with his contract set to expire after the season.
After plenty of speculation about his future, Jackson agreed to a five-year, $260 million contract extension to remain in Baltimore long term.
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2025: Hamstring strain
Jackson suffered a hamstring injury against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4 of the 2025 season and didn't return for a month, missing games against the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears with a bye week sandwiched in-between.
The injury cost Jackson a bit longer than he hoped, as the Bears game had been targeted by the Ravens as his potential return date, but he looked every bit like himself in his return against the Miami Dolphins. Unfortunately for Jackson, that momentum did not last.
2025: Various ailments
After returning from a hamstring injury, Jackson struggled to play anything like he did in 2024, throwing four touchdowns and five interceptions across seven starts following his return against the Dolphins.
In the meantime, Jackson battled various ailments that kept him out of practices. Jackson missed practice time with injuries to his ankle, toe and knee, also missing a practice due to illness. While those injuries never kept him out of a game, his performance appeared to be impacted by them.
2025: Back contusion
Jackson exited a prime-time game against the New England Patriots with a back contusion and did not return, putting his status for the Ravens’ Week 17 game in doubt despite Baltimore’s playoff hopes being on the line. While Jackson did not receive a formal diagnosis beyond a “deep tissue bruise,” the injury was painful enough that he could not return to a pivotal game against an AFC contender.
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How many games has Lamar Jackson missed in his career?
Before his back contusion deep into the 2025 season, Jackson missed 17 games over eight NFL seasons, including the playoffs. Here is the complete breakdown:
| Season | Games missed | Reason |
| 2018 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 1 | Rest |
| 2020 | 1 | COVID-19 |
| 2021 | 5 | Ankle, illness |
| 2022 | 6 | Knee |
| 2023 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 1 | Rest |
| 2025 | 3 | Hamstring |
Jackson's 16 missed games include two due to pre-playoffs rest and two due to illness. His longest injury-related absence spanned six games, as Jackson missed the Ravens' final five regular season games and a playoff game with a sprained PCL in his knee in 2022.