Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson says he has made a concerted effort to get into better shape, and it’s paying off.
Jackson says when looking at old game tape he sometimes believes he is both overweight and not as fast as he should be.
“I was fat,” Jackson told Jonathan Jones of CBS. “I just saw a video from two years ago, against the Browns, and I looked out of shape.”
Jackson has always been one of the best running quarterbacks in the NFL, but he says he knows there were times when he could have run better if he had been a little slimmer.
“My eyes might be deceiving me, but I think I looked a little slower,” Jackson said. “But not now.”
Jackson said his weight loss was motivated by a desire to get better — and not to get caught from behind.
“Just so I can move around without getting fatigued,” Jackson said. “I don’t like to get caught if I do decide to run.”
Jackson said he hasn’t lost a step to age and will be at his fastest this year.
“I’m only 27. I’m still young. It doesn’t have anything to do with age,” Jackson said.
That’s good news for the Ravens, who want Jackson playing at an MVP level for many years to come.