Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson returned to practice on Friday and will be under center when Baltimore hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday with first place in the AFC North on the line.
Jackson confirmed that he was stepped on during practice on Wednesday, leading to him being limited in that session. The ankle injury kept him out of practice on Thursday.
Head coach John Harbaugh was quick to confirm that the two-time NFL MVP will start Sunday’s contest between the Ravens (6-6) and Steelers (6-6).
As for Jackson, he is looking to atone for a three-turnover performance on Thanksgiving night in Baltimore’s 32-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
“It’s a turnover-battle game. The team who has the ball the most and puts the most points on the board, that’s the gonna be the outcome of who’s gonna win the game,” Jackson said of this Sunday’s contest.
“That’s all there is to it. It’s a huge rivalry. It’s like a playoff game.”
Jackson has missed at least one practice for four consecutive weeks while the Ravens dug out of a hole in the AFC North. Baltimore started the season 1-5 but worked to get back to 6-5 before losing last week and throwing the division into a toss-up that could even include the Bengals. Cincinnati (4-8) has Joe Burrow back in the fold and heads to Buffalo on Sunday.
Injuries have limited Jackson for more than two months. He missed three games with a hamstring injury following a 37-20 loss at Kansas City on Sept. 28.
But he beat the Steelers in two of their three games last season — including the wild-card round win in January 2025 — throwing six touchdown passes and leaning on running back Derrick Henry for massive production. Henry gained 186 yards with two touchdowns in the playoff win only four weeks after rushing for 162 yards on 24 carries Week 16.
The Steelers won the game played last November in Pittsburgh, 18-16, and swept the Ravens in 2023.
