Lamar Jackson spent three weeks working his way back from a high ankle sprain, returning to the practice field with the sole intention of pulling the Baltimore Ravens out of an early-season rut. Instead, his anticipated return against the Buffalo Bills lasted precisely one snap. To make matters worse, that was only the beginning of Baltimore’s nightmares.
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On the Ravens’ very first offensive play of the game at Highmark Stadium, Jackson faced immediate pressure from the pocket and attempted to unload a pass downfield to Zay Flowers. As his arm came forward, his right throwing hand violently collided with Bills pass rusher Gregory Rousseau’s hand. Hurting his thumb, Jackson immediately pulled his hand back, winced in visible pain, and jogged straight toward the sideline to consult team trainers before heading down the stadium tunnel.
“Lamar Jackson to the locker room with an injury to his throwing hand on the first play,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on X.
What initially looked like a devastating blow for the offense quickly snowballed into an even bigger disaster. With Jackson ruled out for the rest of the game, backup quarterback Tyler “Snoop” Huntley stepped under center. But Baltimore’s backfield luck completely ran out in the second quarter when Huntley suffered a painful toe injury after being brought down on a tackle, forcing him to exit the game as well.
Stripped of their top two signal-callers, head coach Jesse Minter was forced to activate emergency protocols, handing the offense over to undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano for an unexpected regular-season debut. But he probably could have chosen a different team to go against.
Josh Allen & Co carved out an early lead with their very first possession, and only made the gap wider as the quarters went on. Allen went 21-of-34 for 289 yards and 2 touchdowns, while also adding another rushing score.
The Ravens’ quarterback trio, on the other hand, collectively went 12-of-26 for 68 yards and one interception. Their lone touchdown came through the legs of Derrick Henry late in the first quarter. Once the QB1 & QB2 went down, the eventual 36-10 blowout seemed inevitable.
Meanwhile, the post-game updates provided by the franchise painted an even bleaker picture for the remaining season. In his postgame presser, Coach Minter confirmed that Jackson’s right thumb injury is severe enough to require surgery, meaning the two-time MVP will be placed on injured reserve, meaning at least four missed games.
When reporters directly pressed the head coach on whether the thumb procedure and the IR stint would end Jackson’s 2026 campaign, Minter gave a sobering reply.
“Potentially,” he said. “We’ll see where it’s at.”
After seeing their quarterback helped off the field in Week 4 vs. the Tennessee Titans, watching him stall again was not something Baltimore had planned for. What’s more, for a dual-threat quarterback, coming off an ankle injury was going to be an ordeal because of the pain it causes when cutting or planting. In a Friday presser ahead of Week 8, Jackson had even addressed his absence, and assured everyone that his ankle felt better after full practice sessions during the week.
“I feel like I’m no longer a statue. I’m able to move around a little better, so I can give it a shot,” he told the reporters.
But now, the pain shifts to his throwing hand, and the cascading injuries leave Baltimore facing an uphill battle. Having already gone 1-4 during Lamar Jackson’s three-week absence, the franchise must now navigate a short-week turnaround with an entirely compromised quarterback room. With both Jackson and Huntley’s recovery timeline up in the air, Minter & Co. could now try to make a big move at the trade deadline. For now, the team heads back home and waits for the Jacksonville Jaguars to arrive next week.