Published Nov 1, 2026 11:22 am : Updated Nov 1, 2026 5:18 pm
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) passes against Buffalo Bills linebacker Greg Rousseau (15) in the first half during an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — After waiting three weeks for Lamar Jackson to return, the Baltimore Ravens now face the possibility of playing the rest of the season without him.
Jackson needs surgery for a thumb injury he suffered on Baltimore’s first offensive snap against Buffalo on Sunday and may not return in 2026, Ravens coach Jesse Minter said.
“That’ll be a surgery deal. He’ll go to (injured reserve),” Minter said after Baltimore’s 36-10 loss. “That’s a tough deal.”
Jackson had missed three games with an ankle injury before he was hurt on a pass attempt to Zay Flowers. The two-time MVP was unable to finish his follow-through, and his right hand struck Bills pass rusher Greg Rousseau’s arm.
Jackson immediately headed off the field and pointed to his thumb. He took a knee before reaching the sideline and then was escorted up the tunnel. Jackson eventually returned to the sideline, where he watched the second half with his thumb in a splint.
Tyler Huntley replaced him before suffering a toe injury in the second quarter, leaving the Ravens to turn to emergency quarterback Joe Fagnano. Baltimore fell to 4-4, has lost three straight and has a home game against Jacksonville looming on Thursday night.
“It’s tough,” Minter said. “But you know, there’s no testimony without a test. And so we’ll do everything in our power to keep rolling, to keep this thing going.”
Huntley was hurt when he was sacked by safety Cole Bishop and fumbled on third-and-8 at the Baltimore 40. The Ravens listed Huntley’s return as questionable before ruling him out to start the third quarter. Minter did not have an immediate update on Huntley’s status, and it’s likely Baltimore will need to add a quarterback before facing the Jaguars.
Fagnano, an undrafted rookie out of UConn, made his NFL debut when he took over on the next series. He received attention from trainers on the sideline after taking a hit to the knee from Bills defensive lineman Ed Oliver, who was penalized for roughing the passer but remained in the game.
After finishing 10 of 21 for 91 yards with an interception, Fagnano said he expects to be healthy enough to play on Thursday.
“Yeah, I think so,” he said. “After a football game, you’re always going to have bumps and bruises.”
Baltimore went 1-2 without Jackson as its offensive production dropped off dramatically. With Huntley behind center, the Ravens scored 63 fewer points and averaged 3 fewer yards per play than they did in three games with Jackson.
Energized by the return of their star quarterback, the Ravens allowed the Bills to drive for a touchdown on their opening drive, and then were deflated by Jackson’s injury.
“It’s very tough when you have a warrior like (Jackson) go down,” linebacker Roquan Smith said. “We are all humans, so there is an emotion side of it. But it goes back to the circumstances. And granted, circumstances are not the way we would like things to be when you lose the best quarterback in the NFL, in my opinion, when healthy.”
“It’s a very unforgiving game,” Smith added. “As harsh as it is, but this game don’t care who you are at any time. And regardless of what you’ve done for the game, the game will slap you right in the face at any given moment.”
Minter, in his first season coaching the Ravens after replacing John Harbaugh, accepted the responsibility to rally his team through difficult circumstances.
“It’s definitely my job to make sure that we stay together, that we don’t point fingers, that we have each other’s back, that we believe in the next man up mentality,” Minter said. “We’ve got to really pour into that belief in the guys we have, and move forward.”
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AP Sports Writer John Wawrow contributed to this report.
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See AP’s full NFL coverage here
By JONAH BRONSTEIN
Associated Press
This post was last modified on 11/01/2026 5:18 pm