There’s something different when Lamar Jackson is in the headlines. You feel it, hear it, and scroll past it every Sunday. His highlights go viral. So do the critiques. He has won the MVP twice, and the doubters still sound like they’ve got a cheat code to ignore the scoreboard. After throwing for 4,172 yards and rushing for 915 more in 2024, all while finishing top three in QBR, you’d think the conversation would shift. It hasn’t. He dominated from the pocket, outside the pocket, and still, somehow, it was not enough.

He doesn’t play like a lone warrior but uplifts everyone around him. Remember, 25-year-old WR Rashod Bateman? The same Bateman who took public shots at the Ravens’ front office in 2023. He got 37 million reasons to thank Lamar for putting up with that noise and still feeding him key targets. For the second straight offseason, Rashod Bateman cashed in. This time it’s a three-year, $36.75 million extension with $20 million guaranteed. He’s now under contract through 2029.

The deal isn’t shocking, not because of Bateman’s stats, which remain solid but unspectacular. But because of who’s been throwing him the ball. Lamar Jackson, the Ravens’ franchise fixer! No one pays $20 million guaranteed after one breakout year. Jackson wanted an extension on his 5-year $260 million deal he signed in 2023. But chose to make way for his receiver first.

During the July 4 episode of Locked on Ravens, analyst Brian McFarland also confirmed this. He said, “I think, as you mentioned, him getting people jobs. He just got Bateman $ 37 million extension basically. I mean, let’s face it. They weren’t always on the same page, but last year they were, and we finally got to see what Bateman really had.” Let’s not forget, just last April, Bateman signed a modest two-year, $12.87 million extension, essentially a prove-it deal. What followed?

A career-best season, 756 yards on just 45 catches and nine touchdowns. For context, the WR had scored four touchdowns across his first three seasons combined. Then Lamar Jackson unlocked him. This isn’t a coincidence, it’s a pattern. QB’s game lifted Bateman’s value, just like he’s lifted offensive coordinators, tight ends, and even offensive line contracts around him.

Now, he’s also getting loyalty back from his receivers. This time, they are coming forward to protect his legacy.

Rashod Bateman shuts down Lamar Jackson critics

The critics question the QB’s abilities. They always do. But this time, Rashod Bateman answered sharply, “He gives people jobs, and he saves people’s jobs. Lamar is a special, special generational talent.” Fresh off signing a $36.75 million extension with the Ravens, Bateman made it crystal clear where he stands in the Lamar Jackson discourse. In an interview with The Athletic, he didn’t just support his quarterback; he torched the narrative that Jackson’s overrated.

“Honestly, whatever they say about Lamar is kind of mind-boggling to us in general,” he said. “You watch in the NFL, and he’s throwing the ball better than most quarterbacks since he’s been playing. I think they are definitely caught up in him not getting to the Super Bowl, but honestly, that’s hard to even say.” Well, the numbers back him.

Last season, Jackson threw for 41 touchdowns with just 4 interceptions. He racked up 4,171 passing yards, more than Josh Allen, more than Jalen Hurts, and did it with a 3% higher completion rate than the MVP voters’ choice. Jackson also led the NFL in big-time throws and passer rating from inside the pocket.

It’s easy to scapegoat quarterbacks. That’s the job. But Bateman made a point that resonates deeper than any stat sheet: “There are 11 people playing, and it’s hard to put it all on the quarterback.” Think about it, Lamar can’t control if the players drop his perfectly thrown ball. He can’t fix blown coverages or missed tackles when he’s standing on the sideline. And yet, every time Baltimore falls short of the Super Bowl, guess who’s on the hot seat? Smiley Face!

Maybe the better question is: How many more people does Lamar have to make rich before we just give him the respect he’s already earned? In Baltimore, the bar is high. That’s fine. But it’s different when a generational talent like Lamar Jackson plays under a microscope instead of a spotlight.