The Baltimore Ravens finally have reason to be optimistic heading into Week 9. After weeks without Lamar Jackson, head coach John Harbaugh believes the former MVP will return under center for Thursday night’s matchup against the Miami Dolphins.
The announcement comes after a stretch of confusion surrounding Jackson’s injury status and a recent mistake on the team’s practice report — something Harbaugh is now publicly clearing up.
John Harbaugh Is ‘Very Confident’ Lamar Jackson Will Return Thursday
Harbaugh told reporters on Monday, via NFL.com, that he expects Jackson to be back on the field this week. “I feel very confident about it,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll expect him to be out there Thursday night.”
The Ravens held a walk-through to begin the week, and Jackson was listed as a full participant on the estimated practice report. He has missed the last three games due to a hamstring injury suffered in Week 4, but recent practices have shown signs of progress.
Jackson appeared to be trending toward playing against the Chicago Bears in Week 8 after being listed as questionable. However, the team ruled him out just a day before the game, changing his Friday practice designation from full to limited.
The Ravens are 6-12 in games without Jackson since 2019, when he became their full-time starter. In his four starts this season, Jackson completed 71.6% of his passes for 1,015 yards, 10 touchdowns, and only one interception. Despite a rocky start to 2025, Baltimore’s 2-5 record could quickly turn around with Jackson back at quarterback.
Ravens’ Head Coach Addresses ‘Honest Mistake’ on Practice Report
WATCH: Ravens practice from today, as Lamar Jackson is set to make his return this Thursday night at Miami. Jackson injured his hamstring exactly a month ago today and missed three games.
Ravens with perfect practice attendance today. pic.twitter.com/vs9RjMjvEf
— Morgan Adsit (@MorganAdsit) October 28, 2025
After the Ravens’ 24-17 win over the Bears, Harbaugh addressed the controversy surrounding Jackson’s practice status. The team initially reported him as a full participant on Friday before realizing the mistake and updating it to limited.
“I’m not involved in those rules,” Harbaugh said, via NFL.com. “I don’t know those particular rules. That was probably — I think in their defense, you know, he practiced a full practice. I think they felt like, because he did the same number of reps, it was a full practice. But when you dig in and you read the rule, at the end of the day it wasn’t right.”
When pressed on who made the error, Harbaugh explained, “That’s in the training room and the P.R. and the other side. That’s not on the football side. [It’s on the] medical side. But it’s an honest mistake. Nobody’s trying to hide anything. There’s no advantage to be gained with that.”
While the league may review the situation, Harbaugh’s focus remains on getting his star quarterback ready for Thursday night.
If Jackson does suit up against the Dolphins, it will mark his first start since Week 4 — and potentially the turning point the Ravens have been waiting for. With their playoff hopes still alive and Jackson back under center, Baltimore will look to build momentum heading into the second half of the season.
Kickoff for “Thursday Night Football” is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video.
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