Lamar Jackson latest injury report: Ravens QB misses practice due to illness but expected to play against the Patriots

On December 18, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh held a press conference about linebacker Trenton Simpson’s development. With Teddye Buchanan injured in Week 15’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Simpson is set to take his place and start Sunday against the New England Patriots.

This was the main focus of the meeting. However, two minutes were devoted to star quarterback Lamar Jackson, whose practice week was again affected by illness or injury. The four-time Pro Bowler has missed practice for at least six weeks in the 2025 season. “Lamar had an illness,” Harbaugh said Wednesday. “He was kept home with a flu deal. Doc kept him home today, away from guys. So that’s what happened with that.” The illness may not have seemed serious, as Baltimore’s injury report the next day showed Lamar Jackson as a full participant.

However, Jackson’s frequent illnesses have become a hot topic for discussion. Let’s hear what Nick Wright, the host of FS1’s First Things First, had to say.

Nick Wright criticizes Lamar Jackson as immature for not learning how to avoid getting sick every winter near age 30

Nick Wright, a prominent American sports media personality and host of FS1’s morning show First Things First, recently discussed Lamar Jackson. He said Jackson showed signs of immaturity in his use of social media and in his failure to figure out how to avoid getting sick every winter, despite being almost 30.

“I think there are a lot of signs of immaturity with Lamar Jackson,” Wright said on the show co-hosted by Chris Broussard and Kevin Wildes. “Within the game? Doesn’t face much adversity, but when he does? I think we see some immaturity. I think the way he uses social media? Speaks to immaturity. Being damn-near 30 and not figuring out how to not get sick every winter when your job demands you be at your best every winter? Speaks to immaturity.He’s the most important person in that franchise. He’s an adult. He’s a professional athlete. And he’s the only, forget star, just starting quarterback in this league, that every single year, he can’t manage to figure out how to not get the seasonal flu and misses practice. That’s a problem.”

First Things First host Nick Wright noted that for six winters, Lamar Jackson has been sick and on the injury report

Wright pointed out that Jackson is the only franchise quarterback people expect to get sick every winter and appear on the injury report.

He said this has happened for six winters, except for the year Jackson missed winter due to an injury.“There’s a lot of stuff about this stage Lamar Jackson that flags as odd, given his stature in the league, his stature with his team, and how good of a player he is,” Wright said. “He’s the only franchise quarterback in this league that the team seems to have no line on his week-to-week, day-to-day health status.He’s the only franchise quarterback in this league that we expect every winter to get sick and have it show up on an injury report. It’s been six winters in a row that this has happened, and the only one that it didn’t was when he missed winter with an injury. You hold your face of the franchise star player to a high standard, and I think this is one area where Lamar is lacking, and I don’t think that’s unfair.”Despite the criticism, Lamar Jackson is expected to play against the New England Patriots on Sunday, December 21. He was a full participant on Thursday. Let’s hope for the best!Also Read: “Don’t want to rush hamstring injury”: Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson addresses media before TNF matchup against Miami Dolphins