Lamar Jackson Misses First Day Of Camp After Positive COVID Test

OWINGS MILLS, MD —Baltimore Ravens training camp began Wednesday morning without starting quarterback and 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to the team.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told reporters that Jackson, 24, had tested negative multiple times in the days leading up to camp, which is taking place at the Under Armour Performance Center.

Harbaugh said running back Gus Edwards, a fourth-year player from Rutgers, also tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the start of training camp. Both Jackson and Edwards have been "put into the protocol" according to the coach.

Jackson previously tested positive for COVID-19 last November ahead of the team's scheduled Thanksgiving Day game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. An outbreak of the virus in the Ravens' camp that week led to the postponement of the Thursday game to Sunday, and then ultimately to Tuesday.

Jackson did not play in the contest, replaced by backups Trace McSorley and Robert Griffin III, and the Steelers won 19-14. Jackson eventually returned to lead the Ravens to a 34-17 win over the Cowboys on Dec. 8.

According to ESPN, Jackson was one of 20 Ravens players who spent time on the reserve/COVID-19 list during the 2020 campaign. During the team-wide outbreak around Thanksgiving, Baltimore had a player test positive on 10 consecutive days.

In Jackson's absence, McSorley and Tyler Huntley took the majority of snaps at quarterback Wednesday, while Kenji Bahar, who spent time with the team during minicamp, has been re-signed to work as the Ravens' third quarterback.