Lamar Jackson thumb surgery: Ravens...

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will undergo surgery on his right thumb and be placed on injured reserve after hurting his throwing hand in a 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Ravens coach Jesse Minter said Jackson could potentially miss the rest of the 2026 season, but the team has not set a final timetable for his return.

The injury happened on Baltimore’s first offensive snap Sunday. Jackson was attempting a pass to wide receiver Zay Flowers when his right hand struck Bills pass rusher Greg Rousseau during the follow-through. Jackson immediately grabbed his thumb, left the field and later watched from the sideline with his hand in a splint.

Jackson had only just returned after missing three games with an ankle injury. His return lasted one play, creating another major setback for a team that has lost three consecutive games and fallen to 4-4. Baltimore is scheduled to host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night.

What the Ravens confirmed about the injury

Minter confirmed after the game that Jackson will have surgery and move to injured reserve. Under NFL rules, a player on injured reserve must miss at least four games, so Jackson will be unavailable for that minimum period. When asked whether the injury could end Jackson’s season, Minter said it was possible and that the team would have to wait and see.

The Ravens did not provide a more detailed medical diagnosis in the supplied reports. That means the precise nature of the thumb injury and the expected recovery period remain unconfirmed. The clearest established facts are that the injury affects Jackson’s right throwing hand, requires surgery and is serious enough to send him to injured reserve.

Jackson’s injury came during a difficult season personally. He opened the year with a strong performance in Indianapolis, where the Ravens scored four touchdowns on their first five drives, according to the team’s report. He later injured his ankle against Tennessee and missed Baltimore’s next three games before returning against Buffalo.

Baltimore also lost Tyler Huntley

The Ravens’ quarterback problems worsened when backup Tyler Huntley injured his toe in the second quarter. Huntley was sacked by Bills safety Cole Bishop and fumbled on a third-down play. He was ruled out after halftime, leaving Baltimore to use its emergency third quarterback.

NFL.com reported that Huntley was expected to undergo an MRI exam to determine the extent of his injury. Minter did not have an immediate update after the game. The available reports do not establish how long Huntley will be unavailable, but his status adds uncertainty before Thursday’s game against Jacksonville.

Joe Fagnano, an undrafted rookie from UConn, took over for his NFL debut. He completed 10 of 21 passes for 91 yards, threw one interception and lost a fumble. Fagnano also took several hits, including one to his knee, but said after the game that he expected to be healthy enough to play Thursday.

A short week creates an immediate roster problem

Baltimore now has to prepare for Jacksonville with Jackson unavailable and Huntley’s status uncertain. The Ravens are likely to add another quarterback before Thursday, according to the supplied reports. Fagnano could be the only available quarterback currently known to have played for the team against Buffalo.

The short turnaround gives Baltimore little time to adjust its preparation. Minter said the team had to maintain a next-man-up approach and avoid pointing fingers. The coach accepted responsibility for keeping the group together after the injuries and the heavy loss.

The Ravens’ immediate challenge is therefore practical as well as competitive: they must identify who can play quarterback, prepare that player quickly and organize an offense around the available roster. The sources do not confirm which quarterback Baltimore will add or who will start against Jacksonville.

The offense struggled after Jackson left

Jackson’s departure changed the game immediately. Baltimore managed only 10 points in the loss, while the Bills finished with 36. Huntley completed two of four passes for no yards before leaving, and Fagnano entered without the benefit of extensive preparation.

The Ravens had already experienced a drop in production during Jackson’s three-game absence. The Associated Press reported that Baltimore went 1-2 in those games, scored 63 fewer points and averaged three fewer yards per play with Huntley than it did in three games with Jackson.

Those comparisons show why Jackson’s availability matters to Baltimore, but they do not establish that the team’s season is over or that its offensive identity has permanently changed. The verified situation is narrower: Jackson will miss at least four games, may miss longer, and the Ravens must find a temporary solution at quarterback.

Players respond to another setback

Several Ravens players described Jackson’s injury as difficult but emphasized the need to continue. Linebacker Roquan Smith called Jackson a major loss and said the team had to respond to the circumstances. Tight end Mark Andrews pointed to the short preparation window and said Baltimore needed to recover and fight through the adversity.

Wide receiver Zay Flowers, the target on Jackson’s injured play, said he was upset because he wanted Jackson to play. Flowers was held without a catch, the first such game of his career, according to the Ravens’ report.

Right tackle Roger Rosengarten also described the play as unfortunate and said the offensive line needed to create more space for Jackson. His comments reflected the immediate frustration around the injury, while Minter’s message focused on supporting the players who remain available.

What comes next for the Ravens

Baltimore enters Thursday’s matchup at 4-4 and on a three-game losing streak. The team will face Jacksonville without Jackson and potentially without Huntley, although Huntley’s recovery timeline was not established in the supplied reports.

The Ravens’ next confirmed step for Jackson is surgery followed by injured reserve. The team has not said whether he will return later in the season. Minter’s comments leave that possibility open while acknowledging that Jackson could miss the remainder of the year.

For now, Baltimore’s story is one of an injured starting quarterback, an uncertain backup situation and an urgent need to prepare another passer. The Ravens must address those issues quickly, but the available evidence does not justify a broader conclusion about the final outcome of their season.