Wantaway Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson snapped back at social media critics claiming he missed last season’s playoffs due to wanting a trade.
Jackson announced earlier this week on social media that he had requested a trade on March 2 following a drawn-out contract stand-off, where Baltimore placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him earlier this month.
The two parties endured a similar stand-off last offseason before the QB played out the final year of his rookie contract, only to miss the Ravens’ final six games of the season with a sprained left knee.
The issue had initially been expected to sideline him for only two to three weeks, with Jackson missing the Ravens’ postseason 24-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Jackson quipped back at suggestions on social media that that absence was due to him sitting out having not agreed on a long-term deal with the Ravens.
“Let’s get real. I rather have a 100% PCL than go out there and play horrible forcing myself to put my guys in a bad situation now that’s selfish to me,” Jackson tweeted on Tuesday.
“I don’t remember me sitting out on my guys week 1 vs jets To week 12 vs Broncos. How come all of a sudden I sit out because of money in which I could’ve got hurt at anytime within that time frame when we know the Super Bowl been on my mind since April 2018.”
The 26-year-old QB also explained in a reply to a fan why he did not travel with the Ravens for their AFC Wild Card game in Cincinnati.
“After I traveled to the Pittsburgh game, my PCL got inflated so a few of us discussed it and I got the OK to stay so I could try [to] recover faster,” Jackson tweeted.
Jackson’s revelation of a trade request came amid the NFL’s annual league meeting. The Indianapolis Colts are the only team to declare any intention to consider Jackson who represents himself in negotiations.