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How Jesse Minter plans to build team around Lamar (1:42)
Jesse Minter joins "The Pat McAfee Show" and speaks on building around Lamar Jackson and his thought process going into the 2026 NFL draft as head coach. (1:42)
Jamison HensleyMar 17, 2026, 05:56 PM ET
- Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
OWINGS MILLS, MD -- As Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson heads into his ninth NFL season, it looks like the two-time MVP wants to come out swinging.
In a series of social media videos, Jackson is shown incorporating boxing into his offseason regimen. The workouts include Jackson throwing a series of punches into gloves and pads held by Dawson Saint Jour, a high-performance boxing and strength coach.
"I salute every boxer out there," Jackson wrote on the Instagram video.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) March 17, 2026Jackson, 29, is coming off a season where he missed four games due to a hamstring injury and a back contusion and recorded his first losing season as a starter (6-7) of his NFL career. In his 13 games, Jackson threw for 2,549 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for 349 yards and two TDs.
The Ravens and Jackson were unable to reach a contract extension by the start of the new league year last week. Last week, Baltimore restructured Jackson's deal to create nearly $40 million in cap room.
Jackson, who has two years left on his current deal, is working toward a bounce-back season. He is currently tied with Aaron Rodgers for the best passer rating (102.2) in NFL history and holds the record for most career rushing yards by a quarterback (6,522).
"Had a great time with one of the best athletes out there," Saint Jour wrote on social media. "He's getting sharp."
This isn't the first time that a Ravens quarterback has laced up the gloves. In 2017, Joe Flacco added boxing into his workouts to improve his balance and core strength.
For Jackson, it's a chance to turn the tables. Since 2018, Jackson has taken more hits -- 1,379 to be exact -- than any other quarterback. This offseason, he gets to be the one delivering the shots.
