With two NFL MVPs in his trophy case, Lamar Jackson has already built quite a reputation for himself as one of the game's best.
His coach wants him to elevate even further. John Harbaugh launched into a speech Sunday in which he detailed exactly where he believes Jackson can land before his career is finished.
The bar is remarkably high.
"The vision that we have together is that Lamar Jackson is going to become and be known and be recognized as the greatest quarterback ever to play in the history of the National Football League," Harbaugh said, via the Associated Press. "That's the vision. It's going to happen by Lamar, his work ethic and his brilliant talent, by all of us pouring into that effort, together as a team, teamwork, and by the grace of God and God's goodwill. That's how it's going to happen. And I believe it like we've already seen it."
We certainly have seen it in Jackson's two MVP seasons and plenty in between. Jackson is a scintillating star, producing some of the most electric plays in modern football on a relatively routine basis.
But as any detractor will quickly point out, he still hasn't brought home the most coveted hardware: the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Baltimore was one step from a Super Bowl appearance last season, taking home the AFC's top seed and rolling to the AFC Championship Game before encountering an unexpected offensive rut, falling to the eventual Super Bowl LVIII champion Kansas City Chiefs 17-10.
Harbaugh knows his quarterback will never enter such a lofty conversation without bringing home a ring or three. That doesn't dissuade the coach, though, because he knows who Jackson is.
"I read the stuff. I see the guys say what they say on the shows. At least I get clips of them because they come up on your phone," Harbaugh said. "There's a lot of great things said about Lamar, but there's a lot of stuff that's said that you got to just scratch your head about and kind of wonder, what's that person even thinking? But we take it personally.
"Lamar's a guy, all his life, Lamar Jackson has been a guy who's been answering those same questions. I'm talking about since he was a kid, junior high, high school, college, the draft, the success he's had in the National Football League -- and it still comes up."
Jackson is the engine that drives the Ravens, from which Harbaugh did not shy when speaking with reporters, noting they've built two offenses around Jackson since he arrived in 2019. None of that will change, nor will Baltimore's ultimate goal.
It will be up to Jackson to realize Harbaugh's vision.
