Back in 2021, Lyndon Clemons, an assistant principal in Palm Beach County, stated, “We don’t see him as Lamar Jackson, football star. He’s Lamar. He’s a regular kid.” Those are the words of someone who saw Lamar Jackson become a man, not only a quarterback, but an icon. A Pompano Beach kid who never lost the lights of the NFL to take away from his roots. And years after that, Jackson keeps making that statement true. He’s always been so grounded.

Days before Ravens training camp, Jackson appeared at a Little League football game in Broward County. No heads-up from the media. No high-gloss promo. Just Lamar patrolling the sidelines, dapping up the players, posing for photos, and hollering like any proud older brother would. To the kids present, he wasn’t the Ravens’ face or a past MVP. He was Lamar. Still one of them.

The Crib embraced him like it always does. Not because he’s a celebrity, but because he’s family. And with the NFL season in 2025 looming ahead, that moment was a reminder to everyone that Jackson’s greatest asset may not be his arm or legs. It’s that no matter what, he never abandoned where he was born.

And this isn’t the first time he’s done this, either. Back in 2018, just after earning his draft from the Ravens, Jackson shocked kids at his old high school, Boynton Beach, by appearing to run drills there. In 2020, he was seen throwing passes at a neighborhood park with kids during the pandemic, without a camera in sight. Whether it’s the Broward Cowboys, Pompano Chiefs, or just a bunch of kids throwing the ball around in a lot, Lamar’s always found time because he recalls being that kid himself, gazing up at the likes of Michael Vick and hoping.

That’s why this latest appearance is so significant. In the midst of what has the potential to be a breakout year, Jackson is not backing down from pressure. He’s grounding himself in what led him to this point. His 2024 campaign finished with a gut-wrenching AFC Championship defeat at the hands of the Chiefs despite an MVP-caliber season. People questioned if he could win the big game. Fans wondered if the Ravens had peaked. But if this off-season has taught us anything, it’s that Jackson is all in and not just for himself, but for his team and the city that rides with him.

Lamar’s mentality before training camp

There is a new energy about Lamar Jackson this offseason. Same swagger, the chain, the smile, the strut, but also a quieter intensity. A feeling that he’s not merely seeking another MVP, but vindication. That mindset will be tested when Ravens training camp officially begins on July 17, with veterans reporting early and the entire roster set to arrive by July 21.

Jackson has used much of the offseason to refine his timing with new pass catchers and to double down on studying them. With Zay Flowers entering Year 2, rookie Devontez Walker adding depth, and Isaiah Likely teaming up with Mark Andrews to form one of the NFL’s most feared tight end duos, he’s coaching one of the most explosive offenses of his career. And Lamar is aware.

But more than the physical, it’s the mental game Lamar appears most dialed into. ”We’re extremely close (to the Super Bowl)” Jackson said during a recent interview, adding that as he’s matured in the league, ”the mindset has been different and the game has gotten a lot easier for me”. That tone echoes across the locker room. And that’s why spending time with Little Leaguers days before camp speaks volumes. It’s Lamar’s mode of remaining in touch, remaining humble, and keeping the fire burning before the grind sets in.

The Ravens look loaded this season. The defense is still elite. The offensive line is questionable, but Lamar’s running does soften that blow. The Baltimore possesses something else. A quarterback who’s not only directing with his arm or legs, but with his heart. And that heart was on display in full force in Broward County this week.

Because at the end of the day, what makes Lamar Jackson dangerous isn’t the statistics. It’s that he never forgot where he grew up, and he never lost playing for the people who believed in him when the world didn’t.