Former Baltimore Ravens SB Champion says the Ravens played Lamar Jackson

Did Lamar Jackson make a mistake by playing this year?

According to former Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Raven safety Bernard Pollard, Jackson made a mistake by playing for the Ravens this year.

The former safety told Kyle Odegard of Compare.bet that he offered Jackson some advice about his ongoing contract talks—counsel that Jackson seemingly ignored.

“I can’t sympathize with Lamar because I gave him advice,” Pollard said. “I told him, ‘Do not step on that football field.’ Lamar said, out of his mouth: ‘I’m not going to allow them to play me.’ But I told him, ‘If you step on that football field, they played you. They won; you lost.’ So I can’t sympathize with that.”

Jackson would go on to play and get hurt. He missed the last five games plus their playoff game against the Bengals, and Pollard feels he did it as leverage.

“I don’t think he didn’t get injured, but this is my opinion: I don’t think the injury was significant to where he had to sit out six games,” Pollard said. “I think this is where he took a stand and said, ‘You’re not paying me, we can’t meet (in the middle), so I’m going to show you what you don’t have.’”

Many think the Ravens are going to show him the money, but what if they don’t? They were able to make it to the playoffs without him. He reportedly turned down 133 million dollars guaranteed, if that is the case, why would you keep negotiating with the Ravens. Just go to a team that will pay the money?