When Lamar Jackson showed up at the Preakness in 2024, it wasn’t just to pose for photos or sip mint juleps. He was scouting. Just months later, Jackson went from spectator to stakeholder, buying into the National Thoroughbred League (NTL) as the lead owner of the Maryland Colts. “I am truly excited to be a part of this great opportunity,” he said then, laying out a vision not just for racing. But for the city of Baltimore. And now, almost a year later, that vision’s coming to life.
On May 10, just a week before the 150th Preakness Stakes, Lamar’s hosting the NTL Pimlico Cup at the same historic track. So, you might think an LJ-hosted event will surely attract the showbiz. But it’s not like that! This isn’t just another celebrity-branded event. This is Jackson using his pull and reach to put an overlooked sport—and an overlooked community—on center stage.
From job training with a two-time Preakness-winning trainer to free tickets for underprivileged kids, the quarterback is building real infrastructure behind the glamor. “More opportunities will be opened for the youth of the state of Maryland,” Jackson promised. Now he’s following through.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Chargers Nov 25, 2024 Inglewood, California, USA Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson 8 reacts following the victory against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Inglewood SoFi Stadium California USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xGaryxA.xVasquezx 20241125_gav_sv5_070
The event itself would be a mini fest. Team-based horse races, meet-and-greets, fashion shows, kids’ zones with pony rides, and yes—Jackson himself walking the grounds. His foundation, Forever Dreamers, is footing the bill for thousands of kids to attend. The night before? A VIP fundraiser to keep the mission going. “This is about being more than just a sporting event,” said Maryland Jockey Club President Bill Knauf. “Lamar sees it as a vehicle to introduce kids to Thoroughbred racing.”
The NTL, still in its early years, is trying to rebrand horse racing with a league-style format and fixed team rosters. And Jackson isn’t the only big name… Julius Erving, Nelly, and Kayvon Thibodeaux are all owners too. But Jackson’s connection feels different.
Why not? He’s purple at heart, all along. Now, he’s on the steering wheel. “Lamar Jackson and his family have a palpable passion for Baltimore,” said NTL co-founder Randall Lane, who watched Jackson work the Preakness crowd last year. “You’ll immediately understand his capacity to captivate an audience.” So, this isn’t about a quarterback with a side hustle. It’s about a hometown MVP creating space—literal and figurative—for Baltimore’s next generation.
So, this is another reason why Lamar Jackson’s extension must happen
Now, even if we don’t talk about his connection with Baltimore, there’s still the brass tacks that we could talk about. Lamar Jackson just cooked an entire NFL season like it was a preseason scrimmage. Over 4,100 passing yards. Forty-one touchdowns. Only four picks. Sprinkle in 915 rushing yards for dessert. What more do you want? A man can’t throw dimes and run like a cheat code on Madden without getting paid like the face of the league. And yet… here we are, tiptoeing around cap space like its lava.
The Ravens know it. John Harbaugh knows it. Shoot, even your fantasy team from last year knows it. Harbaugh didn’t mince words at the owners’ meetings: “Lamar is the main part of that because he’s the franchise player.” Read that again. Franchise. Player. He’s not just the centerpiece—he is the whole offensive identity, a walking mismatch who makes defensive coordinators cry in their sleep.
Now, let’s talk money—because this isn’t just about what Lamar has done. It’s about what he still can do. Jackson’s cap hit sits at $43.5M in 2025, but jumps to a monster $74.5M the next two seasons. That’s not sustainable, and both sides know it. A reworked deal helps the team spread out that hit and, more importantly, lock in some serious reinforcements. You like Kyle Hamilton ball-hawking? You want Linderbaum anchoring the O-line for a decade? Gotta sort out the QB cash first.
With Kyle Hamilton’s fifth-year salary locked in, the Ravens’ top five cap hits in 2026 now account for 58% of the team’s projected cap, per Spotrac.
In 2025, the top five account for just ~41%.
Smoothing out Lamar Jackson’s cap spike with a new deal has to be a priority. pic.twitter.com/qdnThuLhOk
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) April 30, 2025
Meanwhile, other teams aren’t waiting around. Josh Allen just got a six-year, $330 million deal. Joe Burrow, Jordan Love, and Trevor Lawrence are stacking guarantees. And Dak? He’s out here with a $60M average tag. Lamar? He’s chilling at 9th in average salary. Ninth! For a two-time MVP who just torched the league? That math ain’t mathing.
And Harbaugh’s got it nailed: “When Lamar gets paid, he’s going to be the highest-paid player in football.” That’s not just coach talk. That’s inevitability. Every extension Lamar signs until he retires is going to reset the market. Because when your quarterback is that guy, you pay him like it. No dancing around it—this extension is a necessity now!
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