Lamar Jackson Finally Changes Tune After John Harbaugh Learned Ravens QB’s Biggest Problem

Lamar Jackson reportedly lost 30 pounds, dropping to 200 pounds for the 2024 NFL season. Although his efforts showed up in his stats, the outcome as a whole still saw the Super Bowl taken away. “I don’t think I get over any loss, to be honest. I’ve got losses from youth football that still haunt me. I never get over losses.” With this mindset, Jackson is coming back this year. But wait! This season, there’s something new in Baltimore. Something louder. Something sharper. He isn’t just leading with his legs and arms anymore; he’s leading with his voice, too.

For years, teammates described him as reserved. A competitor who burned hot on the inside but rarely let that fire spill out. That was fine when his play alone carried the Ravens. But after another crushing playoff exit, Jackson made a choice. Silence wasn’t enough. If Baltimore was going to get over the hump, he had to be more than spectacular. He had to be vocal. Now, it’s showing up everywhere. Training camp? He’s in the guys’ ears. When Devontez Walker let a pass bounce off his shoulder, Jackson sprinted upfield, put his arm around him, and delivered a mix of tough love and encouragement. When a lineman missed an assignment, Jackson didn’t just shrug; he pulled Tyler Linderbaum aside and made sure the message hit the entire unit.

Even coaches haven’t been immune. If he sees something off, he says it. Not behind closed doors. Not after practice. Right there, in the moment. This is also evident in reporter Jeff Zrebiec’s recent post on X, where he revealed what team’s coaches are thinking about the QB: “We want him to lead, and he leads.” According to Zrebiec, “Teammates/coaches have experienced a more expressive Lamar Jackson this summer. He is challenging teammates, pushing back at things he doesn’t like. For Jackson, improving on historic season starts w/using his voice.”

Yes! The locker room has responded. Linderbaum put it bluntly, “Now, he’s speaking up and trying to get stuff corrected. We all want that out of Lamar. We go as he goes. It’s good to see that passion come out and that accountability.” Even Rashod Bateman admitted Jackson is “more vocal than he ever has been about what he wants from us, even to the (coaching) staff and the offensive linemen. He’s definitely pushing the agenda of just staying hungry and being competitive. He’s definitely a competitive guy, and he’s leading us in the right direction with that.”

Quarterbacks coach Tee Martin calls it urgency born out of heartbreak. Those playoff losses that left Jackson sitting in his locker with his head in his hands have forced him to change. The QB explained, “I have to let my guys know that I’m caring for them, I’m not dogging them. I’m not angry at you or anything like that, but we’re competing out here.”

While that version of Lamar is gone, the 2025 version is louder, fiercer, and demanding. He’s still the MVP-caliber quarterback who threw 41 touchdowns and rushed for nearly 1,000 yards last year. But now he’s something more. The heartbeat of a team that knows it can’t afford another January collapse. Jackson has changed his tune. And in doing so, he’s changing the entire sound of the Ravens’ season.

Lamar Jackson’s biggest problem exposed

Lamar Jackson’s playoff resume doesn’t read like the rest of his career. He’s 3–5 in the postseason. Eight appearances, only three wins. For a quarterback who’s redefined the position, shattered records, and collected MVP votes like trading cards, that record sticks out like a scar. But if you haven’t guessed it by now, here’s what John Harbaugh observed. Lamar Jackson falters in the playoffs. Not always. Not every snap. But enough to shift legacies, enough to derail Super Bowl dreams.

John Kosko of Pro Football Focus has identified Jackson’s playoff problems and pointed out his issues, which must have come in front of the HC. “The issue is that when the lights shine the brightest, on the biggest stages, he falters.” The numbers don’t lie either. Regular season? Nearly flawless. Last year alone, he logged 4,172 yards, 41 touchdowns, four interceptions, plus 915 rushing yards. It was historic, even by Lamar’s standards. But when January rolls around, the margins tighten, and the brilliance comes with back-breaking mistakes. In Buffalo last winter, Jackson threw two costly turnovers in the first half for the first time since Week 10 of the 2023 season. He nearly dragged Baltimore back late, but the damage was already done. Same storylines. Same heartbreak.

Harbaugh has lived it with him. He knows it isn’t about ability. No one questions Jackson’s arm strength, his legs, or his work ethic. What Harbaugh sees is something harder to coach: the critical errors that pop up at the worst possible time. A forced throw, a fumble, and a lapse in composure. It’s the difference between legendary highlights and playoff frustration.

That’s why this year feels different in Baltimore. Jackson is louder in meetings, tougher on teammates, and more demanding than ever. He’s carrying scars from those January losses and turning them into fuel.

Lamar Jackson’s biggest problem isn’t talent. It’s timing. When the stage is brightest, the smallest mistakes have been his undoing. And until that flips, his playoff record will keep defining him more than his MVP seasons ever could.