Lamar Jackson is a professional American football player who currently plays as a quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens in the National Football League (NFL). He was born on January 7, 1997, in Pompano Beach, Florida, and grew up in a football-loving family. His mother, Felicia Jones, was a track and field coach, while his father, Lamar Jackson Sr., played football in college.
Jackson showed an early interest in football and began playing the sport at a young age. He attended Boynton Beach High School, where he excelled in both football and track and field. He set multiple records and won numerous awards, including the Lou Groza Award, which is given to the best high school football player in Palm Beach County.
After graduating from high school, Jackson received scholarship offers from several colleges and universities but ultimately chose to attend the University of Louisville. He played for the Louisville Cardinals for three seasons, from 2015 to 2017, and was one of the most successful quarterbacks in college football during that time.
In his first season with the Cardinals, Jackson played in 12 games and completed 135 of 247 passes for 1,840 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also rushed for 960 yards and 11 touchdowns, setting a new record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). He was named the ACC Rookie of the Year and became the youngest player ever to win the Heisman Trophy, which is awarded to the best player in college football.
Jackson's success continued in his second season with the Cardinals, as he completed 254 of 430 passes for 3,543 yards and 30 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,571 yards and 21 touchdowns, setting another new record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season in the ACC. He was named the ACC Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.
In his final season with the Cardinals, Jackson completed 254 of 430 passes for 3,660 yards and 27 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,601 yards and 18 touchdowns, becoming the first player in NCAA history to rush for over 1,500 yards in two consecutive seasons. He was named the ACC Player of the Year for the second year in a row and won the Heisman Trophy for the second time, becoming only the third player in history to win the award twice.
After his successful college career, Jackson declared for the NFL Draft in 2018 and was selected in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens. He made his NFL debut on September 9, 2018, and went on to play in 16 games during his rookie season, starting seven of them. He completed 99 of 170 passes for 1,201 yards and six touchdowns, and also rushed for 695 yards and five touchdowns. He was named the NFL Rookie of the Week five times and was a finalist for the NFL Rookie of the Year award.
Jackson's second season with the Ravens, in 2019, was even more successful. He started all 15 games that he played in and completed 265 of 401 passes for 3,127 yards and 36 touchdowns, setting a new record for the most touchdown passes by a Ravens quarterback in a single season. He also rushed for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns, setting a new record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season in NFL history. He was named the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) and was also named to the Pro Bowl for the first time.
Jackson's success has continued into the 2020 season, as he has helped lead the Ravens to the playoffs once again. He has completed 242