Quarterback Lamar Jackson has already made his mark on the game of football, and he's still just 24 years-old. From winning the Heisman Trophy in 2016 playing at the University of Louisville, or winning the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award in 2019 with the Baltimore Ravens, Jackson's resume speaks for itself.
Recently, the University of Louisville announced that they would be retiring Jackson's famous No. 8 jersey, only the second time in the school's history after Johnny Unitas' No. 16 jersey was retired back in 2003, well after his playing days, and a year after his passing. An incredible accomplishment for Jackson, whose excited but humble reaction reflected how much the gesture meant to him.
Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images
When surprised with the news of his Louisville jersey's retirement, on an ESPN set in which Jackson simply thought he was at for an interview, the star QB showed his excitement and appreciation, saying:
"It's unreal. Can't really put that in words. It's like, you usually hear [names] like Johnny Unitas, those guys...That's crazy. And it happened so fast and I'm still alive to be able to see stuff like that. Be able to talk to those people still, you know, that I was in the building with, who I was seeing everyday, that's crazy," Jackson said. "That's touching right there. I ain't gonna cry on camera though. I'll cry when I get in the house," he joked.
Jokes aside, the former Heisman winner and NFL MVP's career trajectory and accomplishments are no laughing matter. After finishing as the youngest Heisman Trophy winner of all time at nineteen, while also accumulating the second most total offensive yards in Heisman history, Jackson was selected 32nd overall by Baltimore in 2018, and proceeded to lead the Ravens to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons in the NFL.
Check out the full video of Lamar's response, below: