In July 2019, Pompano Beach Mayor Rex Hardin declared the first Saturday of every July “Lamar Jackson Day” in the city. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback had just come off his first NFL season, organized a free community kids’ event, and decided that showing up once wasn’t sufficient. He returned every summer after that, and his 7th Annual Funday with LJ ran in Pompano Beach as recently as July 2025. A city had named a day after him, and now, a county has followed suit.

The Palm Beach County Commission officially proclaimed March 21 as “Lamar Jackson Day” in South Florida. “Lamar Jackson has distinguished himself as one of the most dynamic and accomplished athletes to emerge from Palm Beach County and professional football, redefining the quarterback position through exceptional athleticism, leadership, and competitive excellence,” the Lamar Jackson Day proclamation by Palm Beach County read.

This announcement was tied to the 5th Annual Sandlot 7v7 Pro-Am Challenge, a national youth football tournament that Jackson co-founded back in 2021. This year, the event was held at Village Park Athletics Complex in Wellington and drew 120-plus youth teams across age groups from 8U to 18U, 40-plus active and former NFL stars, and over 4,000 attendees.

This proclamation wasn’t a petition or a lobbying effort. County authorities were formalizing what was already there. Sandlot, co-founded with former NFL safety Abe Elam and NFLPA Vice President of Player Services Dexter Santos, operates in a strategic partnership with the NFLPA and the NFL Trust. Five years in, and it has already become much more than a side project.

The right time for Palm Beach to appreciate Lamar’s efforts under a public spotlight.

“Beyond his athletic accomplishments, Lamar Jackson exemplifies leadership, humility, and a deep commitment to giving back, using his platform to inspire, uplift, and empower future generations both on and off the field,” the proclamation continued. 

Speaking of the event, the Sandlot 7v7 Pro-Am Challenge ran its main event day from March 20 to 22. Aside from the 7v7, the event lineup included youth skill clinics, a Sandlot Combine, NFL mentorship sessions, and the event’s inaugural Girls Flag Tournament, a new addition signalling the program’s continued expansion.

That kind of sustained effort is what separates this recognition from its peers. When quarterback Drake Maye led the New England Patriots to Super Bowl LX, the town of Maynard in Massachusetts renamed itself “MAYEnard” on game day. That was a celebration, but a county proclamation following years of dedication from Lamar is a different category altogether.

Additionally, Palm Beach County isn’t the only jurisdiction to put Jackson’s name on its official record. Back in February 2024, Maryland Governor Wes Moore also proclaimed February 11 as “Lamar Jackson Day” statewide, following Jackson’s second NFL MVP award.

That 2023 MVP season, Jackson threw for 3,678 yards, recorded 24 passing touchdowns, and rushed for 821 yards, finishing with a 102.7 passer rating. Moore was honoring that performance, and Palm Beach is now honoring the person behind it.

More than the trophy case

Heading into the 2018 NFL Draft, Lamar Jackson’s standing in the league was already contested. Former Indianapolis Colts general manager Bill Polian had publicly stated that Jackson might be better off at wide receiver than at quarterback. The Los Angeles Chargers had also requested that he work out at wideout during the combine.

Jackson fell to pick No. 32 and went on to win two MVP awards with Baltimore. The debate around him was about whether the league was willing to rethink what a quarterback was allowed to look like. Jackson answered that question without leaving any doubts.

His 2019 MVP season was the formal rebuttal. Just a year after being drafted, he logged 36 touchdown passes, a 113.3 passer rating, and a then-NFL record for rushing yards by a quarterback. He won unanimously, becoming only the second unanimous MVP in NFL history behind Tom Brady’s 2010.

The 2023 follow-up removed any room for argument. A near-unanimous (49 of 50) decision earned him his second MVP title. Per PFF, he and Jim Brown are now the only two players in NFL history to win multiple MVPs “before their age-27 season.” Brown accomplished it across two seasons as a running back in the 50s. Jackson did it as a quarterback that the league once suggested shouldn’t be one.

But it’s not all about stats and NFL milestones. During a difficult 2025 season, Jackson’s leadership showed up in a specific way. After a 1-5 start, he personally directed head equipment manager Kenico Hines to remove the ping-pong tables, gaming consoles, pinball machine, and basketball hoops from the locker room. The goal was to refocus, and the Ravens defeated the Chicago Bears 30-16 in the ensuing week.

Off the field, his Forever Dreamers Foundation has backed both Sandlot and the annual Funday with LJ in Pompano Beach. Through the foundation, Lamar endorses mental health awareness for children. Last April, Jackson also kicked off the Forever Dreams 8 Scholar program, a doorway for high schoolers into thoroughbred racing.

Pompano Beach and Maryland have already given Lamar Jackson a day. Palm Beach County now adds its name to that list. But the county didn’t name March 21 after the quarterback. They named it after what he keeps doing with his offseasons. And at this point, those look a lot like the rest of his job.