Lamar Jackson has recently been dealing with a back injury, which is the main reason he has not been playing.

What happened?

  • Jackson suffered a back contusion after taking a knee to the lower back in a Week 16 game against the New England Patriots.
  • The injury was painful enough that he could not finish that game and later had trouble even lightly throwing on the sideline and in the locker room.
  • Because of this, he was ruled inactive for the Ravens’ Week 17 game against the Green Bay Packers.

Is it just this one injury?

  • This season, Jackson has also dealt with multiple issues: hamstring, ankle, knee, and toe problems that have limited his full practice weeks.
  • Those nagging injuries meant he went more than a month without a true full week of practice before this most recent back issue.

What’s his current status?

  • Reports going into early January 2026 say he missed Week 17 with the back contusion but then returned to full practice before a must-win Week 18 game against the Steelers.
  • Multiple outlets indicate the Ravens expect him to play in that Week 18 matchup, calling it a win-or-go-home situation where he is not expected to sit out.

Why you might still see “not playing” online

  • Forum threads and social posts talking about “why is Lamar Jackson not playing” are usually reacting to:
    • His Week 17 absence versus the Packers (back injury).
* Earlier 2025 absences from a hamstring injury and other minor injuries that kept him out of practice or games.
  • Those discussions can linger or trend even after his status has changed, so older posts may not reflect that he’s now expected back on the field.

Quick forum-style recap

“He’s not playing because of that back contusion he picked up against New England. Missed the Packers game, but all signs are he’s back for the must- win vs Pittsburgh.”

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.