Lamar Jackson exemplifies the idea that athletes possess multifaceted talents and a diverse range of abilities. He recently fulfilled a personal dream, stepping away from his quarterback role on the field to showcase his acting skills in the popular series “Power Book III: Raising Kanan.” Jackson was not only thrilled by the opportunity but also deeply appreciative of the experience, expressing that he discovered new aspects of himself through it. As Yahoo Entertainment highlights,
The two-time NFL MVP realized that he’s truly a “jack of all trades” through this venture.
Most sports fans recognize Jackson as the quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens. Drafted in 2018 as the 32nd pick in the first round, his selection came as no surprise given his stellar collegiate performance. His impressive gameplay even propelled the young athlete into viral fame. In 2016, he demonstrated an exceptional level of performance by scoring eight touchdowns during the first round of a matchup between Louisville and Charlotte. At the age of 19, he became the youngest athlete in history to receive the Heisman Trophy. According to information from the Baltimore Ravens’ official platform,
Jackson achieved an impressive total of 51 touchdowns during his sophomore season.
Jackson has spent the past seven years as the quarterback for the Ravens, during which he has played a total of 103 games. Throughout his career, he has achieved 1,678 completions, rushed for 6,173 yards, and scored 33 touchdowns, totaling 200 points. While many are familiar with these impressive performance metrics, not everyone is aware of Jackson’s recent venture into acting.
In an interview, Jackson shared his experience of being contacted to play a role in the Power franchise series, Book of Kanan. He revealed that he and his family have long been fans of the Power universe, having grown up with it, and he specifically expressed his fondness for the “Raising Kanan” IP (intellectual property). In 2023, Jackson publicly shared his enthusiasm for the series, with Yahoo noting that he tweeted about his desire to appear in a couple of episodes.
When someone sends something out into the universe, there’s no predicting what might come back. This year, Jackson experienced just that. The story goes that showrunner Sascha Penn reached out to the athlete with an offer to play a part in the series. Initially, Jackson was surprised. As reported by Yahoo, Jackson said,
“And once it [Tweet] got back to Sascha, he was with it. I’m like, man, don’t be hyping me up and telling me I’ll be in it and I’m not in it. And he reached out, and that was all she wrote.”
Jackson did indeed appear in a recent episode of the series as a not-so-good guy.
It was a pivotal and enriching experience for him. He came away with new insights about himself and the craft of acting. The athlete expressed admiration for actors and actresses after his stint, saying,
“I tip my hat off to those actors and actresses because, man, that’s a different type of world. It’s not just football — putting on pads and going out there to do something physical — you have to really memorize and articulate your words and perform in a way that enhances the scene. A lot goes into it, so I tip my hat off.”
That’s quite a valuable takeaway.
Passing judgment or speculating about the amount of work involved in one career compared to another is easy. Such assessments are rarely accurate. Divergent career paths require different strengths, and not everyone is equipped to contribute in the same ways. Sometimes, respect only deepens across career lines when someone experiences the challenges of another’s role. That’s what Jackson did.
Will supporters see more of Jackson on screen in the future? For now, it is uncertain. They can still catch him live and in action on the gridiron. Once someone gets a taste of something different, however, and it proves enjoyable, it’s hard not to return. A return to acting is a likely possibility. That wraps up my rant on Jackson’s side mission.
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