Ravens fined $100K for injury report violation over Lamar Jackson

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – The Baltimore Ravens were fined $100,000 Friday for violating the league’s injury reporting policy by incorrectly listing quarterback Lamar Jackson’s participation in practice last week.

Baltimore avoided losing a draft pick because the league determined the violation was the result of negligence and not an attempt to gain a competitive advantage.

The Ravens will not appeal the fine.

Shortly after the NFL’s announcement, the Ravens wrote in a statement: “It is critical that the Baltimore Ravens always operate with integrity and in full compliance with NFL guidelines. We clearly erred regarding the reporting of player injuries and have cooperated transparently with the league’s investigation. We accept the NFL’s determination that we violated the policy and have taken steps to ensure we comply moving forward.”

According to a league source, the Ravens have cooperated fully with the investigation. Had the investigation determined the offense was intentional or competitive in nature, there would have been greater discipline, including the potential loss of draft picks, the source added.

The discipline stems from the Ravens listing Jackson as a full participant in an Oct. 24 practice in which he led only the scout team. Baltimore then changed Jackson’s practice participation to limited a day later while ruling him out.

The NFL’s injury reporting policy states: “Participation on the scout team, no matter how extensive, by a player whose normal reps would be with the starter without his condition, would not change the player’s proper designation as ‘limited participation.’

Jackson, who was dealing with a right hamstring injury, had been listed as a limited participant in Wednesday and Thursday practices for the week before the Ravens’ game against the Chicago Bears. When he was promoted to full participant that Friday — which was the last full practice of the week — it suggested the NFL’s two-time Most Valuable Player was leaning toward playing.

After changing Jackson’s participation in practice last week, the Ravens said in a statement that they made the decision to do so “after further evaluation today and after discussions with the league office, because Lamar has not taken any starting reps in practice.”

Filling in for the injured Jackson, Tyler Huntley led the Ravens to a 30-16 victory over the Bears on Sunday. After the game, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said the violation of the NFL’s injury reporting policy was “an honest mistake.”

Bears coach Ben Johnson would not say how much the Ravens’ change in Jackson’s practice participation status impacted Sunday’s game.

“Like I said earlier in the week, we were preparing for Lamar,” Johnson said, “and when we found out he wasn’t playing, we were preparing for the next guy.”