The reigning NFL MVP fired back at bettors and fantasy sports players on social media on Monday.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was not pleased with the negative responses he received for not reaching certain statistical numbers in Sunday night's blowout 35-10 victory over the Buffalo Bills on national TV.
“This is a ‘TEAM’ sport I’m not out here satisfied when I threw for 300yds but took a L. If I throw for 50 yds and we WIN, that’s wtf matters. Yall stop commenting on our socials about the yds yall fan duel or parlays ain’t hit,” Jackson posted on X a day after the Ravens beat the Buffalo Bills 35-10 on Sunday Night Football.
This is a “TEAM” sport I’m not out here satisfied when I threw for 300yds but took a L. If I throw for 50 yds and we WIN, that’s wtf matters. Yall stop commenting on our socials about the yds yall fan duel or parlays ain’t hit ??
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) September 30, 2024
Jackson threw for 156 yards in the win, below the 207.5 set by BetMGM. The Ravens QB also tossed two touchdowns and rushed for another score as part of his 54 rushing yards gained, but he attempted just 18 passes, completing 13 of them, as the Ravens relied on the running game.
Star running back Derrick Henry rushed for 199 yards and scored on an 87-yard run.
Stats on legs
Jackson also agreed with a commenter, who hated that football players have “turned into statistics on legs for fans.”
Me too https://t.co/K59BHgv3AV
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) September 30, 2024
Jackson, who plays for a team and in a league where partnerships with sports betting operators run rampant, is not the first player to speak out about social media harassment.
Several MLB players spoke out during the season, bringing to light incidents that included “scary” social media messages, bettors requesting payment for lost bets, and even a fan following a player home.
“It shouldn’t be part of it, but it is part of professional sports now,” Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker told USA TODAY in June.
Taking issue
College athletics leaders are also attempting to curb a harassment issue.
NCAA president Charlie Baker asked state regulators and legislators to ban college player props, citing the pressure student-athletes were receiving from the public for not meeting particular stats.
Only Maryland, Ohio, Louisiana, and Vermont have complied with Baker’s request since it was issued in March.
Former North Carolina star Armando Bacot said during the NCAA tournament that he had dealt with bettors reaching out to him for not hitting his rebounding total.
“I guess I didn’t hit the over,” Bacot said. “I got over probably 100 DMs from people just telling me like, ‘You suck, you didn’t hit the over!’"
