For his first eight years in the NFL, Lamar Jackson had just one head coach. In today's league, that's a blessing rarely bestowed upon a young quarterback.
But although Jackson and John Harbaugh had plenty of success together, the Ravens' superstar is welcoming the arrival of new Head Coach Jesse Minter.
In his first public comments since the Ravens made the franchise-altering decision to change head coaches, Jackson made one thing clear: He's happy.
"I can say it's a breath of fresh air because everything is just new," Jackson said after Wednesday's Organized Team Activities practice.
Jackson said he was "shocked" when he heard the news that Harbaugh was fired after 18 seasons as the Ravens' head coach. Jackson said he texted Harbaugh when he landed with the New York Giants.
"I have a lot of respect for Coach [Harbaugh]. So just seeing that, I was shocked in a way, in a sense," Jackson said. "But I felt like [Owner] Mr. Steve [Bisciotti] did what was best for the team.
"I hope Coach Harbaugh has a great time in New York, man. Hats off to Coach Harbaugh because he did so much for the city, for the team and for this organization. So, hats off to him in New York. We built a lot. We did a lot here."
Now, Jackson is building his relationship with Minter, who was last in Baltimore from 2017-2020 as a defensive assistant coach.
Jackson was part of the interview process to find the new head coach, which he called a "great experience," that he thanked Bisciotti and General Manager Eric DeCosta for. Jackson also said it was "awesome" that Minter and new Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle visited him in Florida after being hired to get to know each other better.
Jackson said Minter has been the same guy he was during the interview process.
"Man, he's a cool dude. He's a cool coach, man," Jackson said. "He always has a smile on his face. I just told him on the field today, I'm like, 'Every time I come in the building, you're always smiling.' You don't know what Coach is thinking about; he just has a smile on his face, and that's great to have."
Jackson is wired similarly. He brings a consistent, positive energy. He's easygoing, yet an intense competitor who is driven to win.
"I was intrigued with those guys [Minter and Doyle] during the interviews, just trying to pick their brains, and I felt like they were doing the same thing with me," Jackson said. "They want to win, and I want to win as well."
Jackson was picked off once during Wednesday's practice by Nate Wiggins, but he had a strong day overall. Jackson said he loves Doyle's new scheme, and he's enjoying some of the new drills and energy that Minter has brought to practice. Minter said Jackson has "done great" with the transition to a new offense.
"He's been here a lot, and so it's not like it's the first time he's hearing some of these plays, but it's the first time to really be able to run him, I think, at some speed with defense out there," Minter said. "So, every play is a great advantage for him to keep getting better and to keep learning. I think he's really excited about where we're headed, what we're doing, and it's great to see him out there making the plays that we know he can make."
Jackson hasn't always attended OTAs, but he's at the Under Armour Performance Center this week and has been around the facility a lot this offseason. Jackson attributed that to getting to know the new offensive system – the terminology, the timing, etc.
But it's clear that Jackson likes the vibes, too.
"I feel like everything is new right now, but it's cool. The atmosphere is smooth," Jackson said. "I'm just looking forward to the season now."
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