The Baltimore Ravens hope to get Lamar Jackson back on the field later this season, but defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike understands the importance of giving his teammate the space he needs to recover.
Madubuike knows what it's like to deal with a difficult recovery after going through his own journey last year. He said he has reached out to Jackson and remains hopeful about the quarterback's situation, while making it clear that the team's immediate focus is on its upcoming game.
When asked whether he had contacted Jackson and what he had shared with him during his recovery, Madubuike described the relationship and explained why he tries to give teammates room during difficult situations.
"Yes, definitely. Lamar [Jackson] is just a very, very great-spirited
person, and every time I see him, it's always all love. In times like this sometimes, especially throughout the season, you sometimes want to pick your spots and give people their space, because you don't know what they're going through. But every time I see him in person, it's all love, and I reached out to him, and he's in a good space. There's news that he may come back later in the season, and we're all excited about that, but first things first, we're just worried about this week, and we're worried about winning this week."
Madubuike was also asked whether he had heard directly from Jackson about the possibility of a return later in the season. He clarified that he hadn't received that information directly from the quarterback.
"No, I did not hear that from [Lamar Jackson]. I just heard, probably one of you guys posted it or something. But I'm just hearing stuff, I'm just like, 'Oh, OK, maybe that's good news.' With injuries, it's kind of tough. Just like mine last year, people were talking about this and that. Is he coming back, and this and that and the third. I kind of kept quiet because I was just trying to focus on what I had to focus on. But, same for him, you don't know what's going on. You just hear things, and you always want to be optimistic and hope for the best for everybody."
Madubuike’s distinction matters because encouragement from a teammate is different from a medical update. He has communicated with Jackson, but he didn’t say the quarterback provided a target date or outlined the steps remaining before a return. His comments offered perspective on supporting an injured teammate while allowing Jackson to manage that process privately.
Madubuike's comments reflect the uncertainty surrounding Jackson's recovery. While teammates would welcome his return, the Ravens still have to prepare for the games ahead without knowing exactly when their quarterback will be available. Baltimore’s immediate preparation centers on Jacoby Brissett, whom Jesse Minter expects to start Monday against the Chargers. The Ravens are 4-5 after four consecutive losses, leaving little room to build their weekly approach around a return that hasn’t been scheduled. Keeping themselves competitive would make Jackson’s potential availability more meaningful, but that work has to happen with the players currently available.
For now, Madubuike and the rest of the team are focused on the week ahead. The hope is that Jackson continues making progress, but the priority remains finding a way to win.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Nnamdi Madubuike offers perspective on Lamar Jackson’s injury recovery
