Is Lamar Jackson's mother involved in contract negotiations with Ravens?
Lamar Jackson is one of the most famous players in the NFL today. His unique playstyle and talent as a runner are unmatched in today's NFL. However, one little-known fact is that, unlike most NFL players, Jackson's agent is his mother. How did this come to be? Why does Lamar trust his mother to do the talking?
Felicia Jones
Lamar Jackson's father passed away from a heart attack when Jackson was eight years old. Without him, Lamar's mother, Felicia Jones, had to raise him and his brother Jamar on her own. As a result, Lamar and Felicia grew close, as Lamar's only parent was Felicia.
According to Heavy, Lamar Jackson recalls playing football with his mom, as she was a big fan of sports. Jackson recalls she was a basketball player at one point. She has always been a big source of inspiration for Lamar Jackson.
Even as Lamar Jackson continued to climb the ladder of the football zeitgeist, he kept his mother along for the ride.
In Lamar Jackson's Heisman trophy acceptance speech, he gave a big "thank you" to his mother. After that, as the NFL drew closer to becoming a reality, his mother remained at the center of Lamar's mind. When it came time to choose an agent, she was his choice.
Lamar Jackson's contracts
Lamar Jackson is still playing on his rookie contract. He signed the deal in 2018 and is nearing the end of it. It ends after the conclusion of the 2022 season. Felicia Jones negotiated it, a deal worth over $9.4 million for his son. The contract gave almost a five million dollar signing bonus and an average salary of $2.3 million per season. He was guaranteed $7.5 million in total.
That said, 2022 will be huge for Lamar Jackson. His fifth-year salary on the deal is worth over $23 million for that year alone. While that is a lot of money for someone used to making only a few million per year, Lamar Jackson is going to want more in his next contract. His mother's job will be to get it done.
Lamar Jackson's career
With the end of the contract nigh, Jackson's performance since 2018 has been under the microscope. Those looking at his performance will see him as an asset and invaluable to the success of the Baltimore Ravens.
In 2019, Jackson threw for 36 touchdowns and six interceptions. In 2020, Jackson threw for 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. While his play has dipped over the last two seasons, the team's success has been constant. Pre-Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens' last playoff season, was in 2014. Post-Jackson, the Ravens have made the playoffs every season, including his rookie year.
Put simply, Jackson's play has made it an easy case for Felicia Jones to get his son a large sum as negotiations take place over the next year.