The Baltimore Ravens quarterback, Lamar Jackson, is recharging in the offseason, but he is taking a noticeably different approach in his preparation. Moving away from the gridiron, he poured sweat in a high-intensity boxing session, showing his newfound admiration for the sport.

“I salute every boxer out there,” Jackson wrote in his latest video posted as an Instagram story. “This man had me do this after combos, nonstop. I’m tired coach.”

The two-time NFL MVP was seen training with high-performance boxing and strength coach Dawson Saint Jour, who was pushing him at the highest level of endurance with the gloves on. As the story caption mentioned, he had already tried a series of combos, but in the video, he was landing effective punches on the boxing pad held by the coach. From the hooks, jabs, rear crosses to uppercuts, the QB displayed an array of his punching skills.

“Had a great time with one of the best athletes out there,” Saint Jour wrote. “He’s getting sharp.”

The 29-year-old indeed grew respect for boxers after the grueling training session at coach Troy Jones’ gym in Miami. Coach Jones has an impressive background in training high-performing athletes. According to his website, Jones has coached 23 Super Bowl champions and over 500 professional athletes from different backgrounds, including boxers, UFC fighters, and Olympians.

Now, after getting the training, Jackson could have a potential positive effect on his on-field performance. For football athletes, it could improve hand-eye coordination and bring out explosive power, which Jackson showed while hitting the pad. The hip and core rotation enhances the rotational power of the quarterback during passes. Moreover, boxing footwork is essential in developing quick feet, which the quarterback already has.

Besides Jackson, the Green Bay Packers’ Micah Parsons is a notable NFL star who is known for regularly practicing boxing, while the Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby recently revealed adding it to the training regime and how it helped him improve total sacks.

While Jackson finds new ways to enhance his game on the field, his future in Baltimore has come into question after his failure to finalize a contract extension recently.

Lamar Jackson’s missed contract extension deadline puts doubt on his Ravens future

As a first-round pick from the 2018 NFL Draft, Lamar Jackson has been with the Baltimore Ravens throughout his NFL career. He has signed multiple contract extensions, with the last one taking place in 2023. His current five-year contract, totaling $260 million, will run through the 2027 season, meaning the 2027 campaign will be the final year of his contract.

Amid the uncertainty, the Ravens had the opportunity to sign him to a new contract extension. The General Manager, Eric DeCosta, appeared hopeful to extend his deal, but they missed the deadline. Now, the franchise has to wait until the next season to get further commitment from the four-time Pro Bowler.

While the 29-year-old didn’t have a contract extension, he had a massive contract restructure to free up cap space for the organization. After revamping his deal, Jackson will be paid $34.5 million instead of the original $74.5 million for the 2026 season, freeing up the Ravens approximately $40 million.

After incorporating boxing into his training routine, he will be hoping to keep injuries at bay and boost his production in the upcoming season, which could help in earning a bigger extension.