Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will miss six to nine weeks with a fractured and dislocated right thumb, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The two-time MVP returned from a high ankle sprain only to exit on the first offensive snap of a 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 1. His throwing hand struck the helmet of Bills pass rusher Gregory Rousseau.
Head coach Jesse Minter said after the game that Jackson needed surgery and would go on injured reserve. Minter suggested the injury could potentially end Jackson’s season.
Rapoport reported Sunday that Jackson is expected to miss at least six weeks and as many as nine. The former MVP has told teammates he intends to return if the Ravens remain in playoff contention.
“Lamar Jackson is out 6-9 weeks with a fractured and dislocated thumb. But the former MVP has vowed to return — assuming Baltimore stays alive. The Jacoby Brissett trade should help,” Rapoport wrote.
A six-week absence would allow Jackson to rejoin the team for a stretch of AFC North games beginning with a Dec. 20 visit to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The longer end of the timeline points to a possible return only for the regular-season finale against the same opponent.
Jackson delivered a direct message to his teammates after the Bills game. “Just stay alive, and if you do I will be back,” he said.
Jackson had appeared in only four games this season before the thumb injury. He completed passes for 967 yards with six touchdowns and one interception while adding 144 rushing yards and one score.
The Ravens stand 4-5 after four consecutive losses. They scored 10, 13, 10 and 10 points in those games and were held under 14 points for four straight contests for the first time in franchise history.
It is also the first time in the team’s 31-year history that Baltimore has lost three straight games by 20 or more points.
With Jackson and backup Tyler Huntley both on injured reserve, undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano started Thursday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Fagnano completed 10 of 18 passes for 60 yards and two interceptions in a 33-10 defeat.
Minter addressed the depleted roster after the loss.
“Obviously, [it’s] a tough situation for our guys, but I just told them there’s no excuses, there’s no whatever, ‘We don’t have this guy; we don’t have that guy,’” Minter said.
The Ravens completed a trade Friday for veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett from the Arizona Cardinals. Baltimore sent a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 seventh-round pick in exchange for Brissett and a 2027 fifth-round selection.
Brissett, 33, started Arizona’s first eight games this season and went 3-5 with 1,719 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions before being benched. He is expected to start Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Ravens’ offense has struggled without Jackson under center this season. Baltimore has gone 7-14 in games Jackson did not start since 2019 entering Week 9, according to ESPN.
Brissett will have a short window to install the offense before the Chargers game. His presence provides a more experienced option while Jackson recovers from surgery.
Any return by Jackson remains contingent on both his rehabilitation and the Ravens staying relevant in the AFC playoff picture. The six-to-nine-week window leaves little margin for a seamless re-entry if the longer timeline holds.
