Ravens’ Marlon Humphrey criticizes ‘slander’ of Lamar Jackson amid ankle recovery
The cornerback called coverage of Jackson unfair but did not identify the reports he meant. Jackson remained limited in practice ahead of the Bengals game.
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey criticized what he called ‘slander’ of quarterback Lamar Jackson on Thursday in Owings Mills, Maryland, as Jackson practiced on a limited basis ahead of Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, ESPN reported. Humphrey did not identify the coverage he was criticizing, leaving the target of his complaint unclear.
Humphrey made the remarks after a question about how Jackson looked at practice, according to ESPN. ‘It seems like Lamar’s the only quarterback kind of gets the slander that he gets for anytime anything is going on,’ he said. Humphrey described the treatment as unfair and referred to articles he had seen while in the hot tub.
What Humphrey said about Jackson’s coverage
Asked whether he meant coverage of Jackson’s injury, Humphrey did not clarify. He suggested Jackson lacked someone to defend him publicly, then declined another opportunity to explain the remark: ‘Whatever I said is whatever I said. You can take it however you want.’ His comments expressed frustration with coverage rather than a specific allegation about an identified report.
Humphrey also said Jackson generally speaks for himself. ‘If Lamar Jackson can play, if he’s healthy enough to play, he will play,’ Humphrey said, according to ESPN. He added that a return would be welcome, while backup Tyler Huntley would be available if Jackson could not play. Humphrey’s confidence was his own assessment; the team had not established that Jackson would start Sunday.
Jackson’s practice status before the Bengals game
Jackson returned to practice this week after missing two games with a left ankle injury, ESPN reported. He took part in every drill during the portion of Thursday’s session open to reporters and moved around well, but was listed as a limited participant for the second consecutive day. That designation leaves his availability for the Bengals game unresolved.
Ravens coach Jesse Minter had said Wednesday that Jackson was able to do a little limited work as the team prepared. His assessment, recorded in the Ravens’ press conference transcript, preceded Thursday’s practice observations and helps explain why Jackson’s participation remained a focus for teammates and reporters.
A return against Cincinnati would bring Jackson back for a matchup in which he has an 11–2 career record, with 24 touchdown passes and six interceptions, according to ESPN. For now, the immediate decision is whether his ankle allows him to play Sunday, after two missed games and consecutive limited practices.
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Sources and context
- Ravens' Humphrey expresses displeasure over 'slander' against QB JacksonESPN
- Transcript: Press Conferences (10/21/26)Baltimore Ravens
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.