"I had to make a business decision" - When Lamar Jackson opened up on requesting trade from Ravens

Lamar Jackson - drafted in 2018 as the No. 32 pick by the Baltimore Ravens - has endured a fair share of good times and bad times. However, there came a time when tensions with the team led the 2019 NFL MVP to announce a trade request on social media.

Jackson wrote an emotional message on X (formerly Twitter) in Mar. 2023 to inform his fans about the critical decision he had made. He started by thanking the fans for their love and support, then went on to appreciate them further. Lamar Jackson also stated that he opted for social media to clarify the situation regarding his future in Baltimore.

“Let me personally answer your questions in regards to my future plans. As of March 2nd I requested a trade from the Ravens organization for which the Ravens has not been interested in meeting my value, any and everyone that's has met me or been around me know I love the game of football and my dream is to help a team win the super bowl. You all are great but I had to make a business decision that was best for my family and I.”

The Ravens had exercised the fifth-year option on Jackson’s rookie contract for $23.016 million in April 2021. However, they continued with the same value in 2022, and the two-time NFL MVP wasn’t satisfied with the value of his new contract. Hence, he requested a raise, but Baltimore opted for a non-exclusive franchise tag that allowed the QB to seek new agreements in the market without being released.

Lamar Jackson declared himself trade-available, but teams like the Atlanta Falcons, Washington Commanders and Indianapolis Colts sought an NFL MVP-level talent. Yet, none pursued Jackson, who lacked an agent and depended on his popular support.

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Baltimore Ravens signed Lamar Jackson to a $260 million deal

Despite this, the Baltimore Ravens agreed to extend Lamar Jackson’s contract since he was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Jackson’s luck struck gold when Deshaun Watson signed a fully guaranteed $230 million contract with the Browns. After Jalen Hurts signed a $255 million contract extension with the Eagles, Baltimore had a benchmark to match.

Although the Ravens refused to match Watson’s guaranteed sum, they agreed to top Hurts’ contract and signed Jackson to a $260 million deal for five years - with $185 million in guaranteed money - in Apr. 2023.