116 games, two NFL MVP awards, four Pro Bowl selections, but no Super Bowls – this is not a resume that Lamar Jackson wants, despite being considered one of the best QBs of his generation. His future with the Baltimore Ravens is in the spotlight after eight years together, because they haven’t managed to win the ultimate prize. But in 2026, there is new hope, with the team onboarding Declan Doyle as offensive coordinator.
Last season, Doyle changed the face of the Chicago Bears’ offense, something the Ravens couldn’t ignore. The 30-year-old has already uplifted his new team’s offense in training camp, for which Jackson labeled him a “wizard.” Adding to this momentum is a striking stat: Each time the Ravens have hired a new OC, Jackson has gone on to become MVP (2019 and 2023).
But that is not where Jackson wants the story to stop. When presented with this interesting tidbit during an interview on the sidelines on Saturday, when the Ravens won a dominant 24-7 preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, the 29-year-old QB quickly shifted focus away from his individual achievements.
“You know that’s (MVP) not the goal,” Jackson said with a smile in the video shared by @Ravens on X. “That, it happened. Hopefully, it’s something better. Better than just MVP.”
Entering his ninth NFL season, the pressure on Lamar Jackson to lead his team to a Super Bowl only rises. Time is ticking, and he knows it. Speaking with CBS Sports’ Evan Washburn earlier this week, he acknowledged this fact.
“Obviously, going into year nine, it’s like, ‘Man, time is ticking. You’re only getting older.’ I’m not getting younger,” said Jackson. “I’m seeing a lot of different new faces into the league and different guys we surrounded with from an offensive line, receiver standpoint, running back, backfield, new running back, stuff like that. Time is ticking, and the urgency is always a high level. Even I feel once I get one, it’s still gonna be urgent to get another. Never goes away.”
Jackson and the Ravens have the necessary ingredients this year to get that elusive Super Bowl. Praises have already poured in for Declan Doyle, who has impressed with his leadership abilities. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley, the longest-tenured active Raven, has felt a “sense of wisdom” in Doyle’s conduct that he feels is “really going to bode well for us.”
Declan Doyle believes Lamar Jackson’s game still has “unexplored territory”
Lamar Jackson might lead the all-time list of QB rushing yards and be first on the NFL’s regular-season career passing ratings, but Declan Doyle, in seven months of being with the Ravens, has spotted untapped potential in him. Earlier this week, Doyle spoke with ESPN’s Kevin Clark about his plan for Lamar Jackson.
“There’s things that come up every single day that we can come off the sideline and immediately talk about and say, ‘Okay, if this happens again, this is what I want you to do.’ or, ‘Hey, I’m giving you the authority to do this.’ You know, there’s some unexplored territory with him,” Doyle revealed.
Doyle’s next step is to refine Jackson’s game plan by eliminating inefficiencies.
“And that’s really what we’re we’re trying to do right now. We’re trying to figure out, you know, what can we try to be the best in the world at? And then let’s ask him to do those things, and let’s cut out the fluff that we don’t think we could be as good at,” Doyle added.
When asked what those aspects are, the new Ravens OC naturally couldn’t reveal them, but emphasized that Jackson would be held to a “very high standard” as the rest of the offense. Doyle has taken a very detail-oriented approach and prides himself on being a clear communicator en route to making the Ravens’ offense “explosive,” as he labeled it.
Saturday’s game against the Eagles already gave a glimpse into the Ravens’ upgraded offense. Ja’Kobi Lane impressed in his preseason debut with three receptions for 38 yards, including a touchdown. Jackson, among other starters who weren’t playing, hailed Lane’s game. Speaking with CBS Sports’ Evan Washburn on the sidelines (as quoted by reporter Josh Tolentino), Jackson said:
“Man, his aggressiveness to go get the ball – he’s attacking the ball. Big hands, tough receiver. That’s what we need. We need that. It’s amazing. The sky is the limit for him.”
The other rookies, Matt Hibner and Elijah Sarratt, also performed great, combining for 11 receptions and 127 yards to give the Ravens an emphatic preseason opening win. The sky isn’t just the limit for Lane, but also for the upgraded Ravens’ squad and their offense, which looks set to decimate rivals and aid Lamar Jackson in reaching that elusive Super Bowl.
Their next challenge comes in the form of the Minnesota Vikings, whom they face Saturday, August 22, at U.S. Bank Stadium.