‘Lamar Jackson Fries Ian Rapoport for Lying,’ ‘Dark Day for Reporters’ — NFL World Reacts As Ravens Superstar Refutes Insider’s Injury Update
· Yahoo Sports
Lamar Jackson has found himself at the center of an injury-report controversy, and the Baltimore Ravens quarterback isn’t staying quiet about it.
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Jackson is still working his way back from an ankle issue, but he recently pushed back against Ian Rapoport’s report about its severity, saying his own trainers gave him a different diagnosis.
Lamar Jackson Challenges Ian Rapoport’s Injury Report
Jackson injured his left ankle during Baltimore’s Oct. 4 win over the Tennessee Titans and missed the next two games.
Rapoport had reported that the injury was neither a high-ankle nor a low-ankle sprain. Jackson, however, said the Ravens’ medical staff gave him a different diagnosis.
When a reporter asked about the discrepancy, Jackson questioned Rapoport’s source while making it clear that he was going with what his own medical staff told him.
“Rapoport said that? He part of the training staff?” Jackson asked. “So we can’t go off Ian Rapoport and his reporting. Somebody probably told him that too, though, so I can’t blame him. But nah, man, my staff told me it was a high-ankle sprain, so we’re going with what [head certified athletic trainer] Adrian [Dixon] told me.”
Jackson’s comments drew reactions from analysts and Ravens fans alike, with some pointing out how the original report may have shaped perceptions of his recovery.
Physical therapist Jeff Mueller said the situation showed how easily information can get lost or changed as it passes from sources to reporters and then to fans.
He wrote on X, “Great reminder that telephone between (source) and NFL insider often relays wrong information, and then, we intake wrong information as audience. If it was initially reported as a high ankle sprain, no one would be surprised that Lamar Jackson has missed this much time.”
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Meanwhile, Ravens podcast host Samuel Njoku was fed up with the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback’s injuries, posting, “Always ‘misinformation and speculation’ when it comes to Lamar injuries.”
Rob Pizzola saw Jackson’s response as a win for the medical staff and a tough moment for NFL reporters. He wrote, “Patient overrides the insider report with his own trainer’s diagnosis. Huge win for the medical community. Dark day for reporters.”
Tom Strachan took a more playful approach to the exchange, writing, “Lamar from the top rope for Rapsheet.”
A fan account, LamarOnReal, was more direct, accusing Rapoport of lying about the injury.
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“Lamar Jackson fries Ian Rapoport for lying about Lamar’s high ankle sprain,” they wrote.
Strength and conditioning coach Garrett Ferguson also questioned the earlier coverage, writing, “I hate to say it, but we owe Mike Florio an apology because he said Lamar Jackson’s ankle injury was a multiple-week concern. Ian Rapoport led us astray.”
LamarOnReal later pointed to the criticism Jackson faced while sidelined, writing, “Lamar Jackson was dealing with a high ankle sprain the whole time, while Ian Rapoport lied and half the fanbase called Lamar soft.”
Jackson, who ranks No. 2 in the league with a PFN QB Impact Score of 88.3, is listed as questionable for Baltimore’s Week 7 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.