Ravens Coach John Harbaugh Comments on Lamar Jackson’s Trade Request After QB Announces Decision During Press Conference

John Harbaugh went from head football coach to politician pretty damn quick. When Lamar Jackson revealed that he requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens, Harbaugh had to walk a pretty thin line. He did it pretty well, too.

Monday, Jackson said that he requested a trade from the organization on March 2. This comes as the Ravens placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on the MVP quarterback. On the surface, it appears that Jackson’s time in Baltimore is coming to an end.

But Harbaugh is holding out hope. And he’s not going to throw Jackson under the bus in the event that the quarterback would be willing to return.

When Harbaugh was asked if he wishes Jackson would’ve handled the situation differently, the head coach referenced a sign that was up in Andy Reid’s office that read “Don’t judge,” per Albert Breer of NFL.com.

Harbaugh then made an interesting comment regarding Jackson’s potential future with the Ravens.

“When we’re playing football next year and Lamar Jackson’s the quarterback we’re all gonna be happy,” he said.

Jackson has spent the first five years of his NFL career with the Ravens. He was selected in the first round of the 2018 Draft with the 32nd overall pick.

During his five seasons with the Ravens, Jackson earned a pair of Pro Bowl selections and won the league’s MVP award in 2019. He’s thrown for 12,209 yards and 101 touchdowns while rushing for 4,437 yards and 24 additional scores.

Lamar Jackson Explains Situation in Twitter Message to Fans

It’s been quite a ride for Lamar Jackson this offseason. Nobody expected that the Ravens would let one of the top quarterbacks in the league get away, but it appears that could be the case.

Baltimore has been reluctant to re-sign the MVP quarterback, resulting in his request for a trade. On Monday, Jackson explained his situation with a Twitter message to his fans.

“I want to first thank you all for all the love and support you consistently show towards me,” Jackson wrote. “All of you are amazing and I appreciate y’all so much. I want you all to know not to believe everything you read about me. Let me personally answer your questions.

“In regards to my future plans. As of March 2, I requested a trade from the Ravens organization for which the Ravens have not been interested in meeting my value. Any and everyone that has met me or been around me know(s) I love the game of football and my dream is to help a team win the Super Bowl.”

Jackson called his request a “business decision.”

The announcement on Monday only adds to the offseason drama surrounding Jackson. It’s going to be interesting to see which teams from around the league show interest in the quarterback moving forward.