Five years after a long draft slide, Lamar Jackson reached a lucrative five-year deal to stay with the Baltimore Ravens.
The extension is reportedly worth $260 million, narrowly clearing Jalen Hurts’ new deal as the largest NFL contract in terms of average annual salary. With news breaking on the day of the NFL Draft, it’s fitting to remember how Jackson’s career started.
ESPN’s Mina Kimes shared a photo from the 2018 NFL Draft. Jackson, who spent the entire first round waiting in the green room, was hunched over and looking at his phone.
“Lamar Jackson signing a deal to give his family generational wealth, five years after he sat in the green room with his mom, watching the picks go by as he fell in the draft….hard not to get emotional,” Kimes wrote. “What a player. What a story.”
Lamar Jackson signing a deal to give his family generational wealth, five years after he sat in the green room with his mom, watching the picks go by as he fell in the draft….hard not to get emotional. What a player. What a story. pic.twitter.com/C7olaL9bwy
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) April 27, 2023
That famous picture was taken with the Ravens on the clock at pick No. 22. They traded down three spots and passed on Jackson to take tight end Hayden Hurst.
However, they then moved up to No. 32 to end Jackson’s long wait.
Jackson was the fifth quarterback selected that evening. Baker Mayfield (No. 1), Sam Darnold (3), Josh Allen (7), and Josh Rosen (10) all went much earlier.
Perhaps that night taught him a lesson in patience that came in handy when waiting out a contract stalemate with Baltimore. It all worked out for Jackson, who will now make $52 million per season.