Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson said he still feels like he has something to prove.
Jackson broached the subject during an appearance on LeBron James’ YouTube talk show “The Shop,” which premiered its new season on Friday.
When the discussion turned to how there has been a historical bias against black quarterbacks, James said, “It’s dying, but it’s still there.”
Jackson responded, “It’s still there. That’s why I need that championship.”
During the show, James talked about how he feels offended when he’s not included in conversations about the best scorers in NBA history. He said it’s a sentiment Jackson could relate to, as critics had told him he “wasn’t a real quarterback.”
During the discussion, it was brought up how Jackson was asked to work out at wide receiver at the NFL scouting combine four years ago after being a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback. Jackson shrugged why this happened, saying, “I have no idea.”
In 2018, Jackson became the fourth black quarterback to win the NFL Most Valuable Player award. He is 37-12 in the regular season and just 1-3 in the postseason.
Asked what lessons he’d like to take from James as he grows up, Jackson said, “Everything. And being a champion. I feel like that’s the only thing I want to take from him, if that’s possible. Being a champion. Being a billionaire. I’ve been thinking I’ve been at it since I was a kid, being a billionaire and being a champion.
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