Quarterback Lamar Jackson once again hit back at the idea he put his future earnings above his team toward the end of the 2022 NFL season.

The 2019 MVP contended that attempting to play injured would've been worse for the Baltimore Ravens than not playing at all.

Lamar Jackson @Lj_era8

Let's get real. I rather have a 100% PCL than go out there and play <br> horrible forcing myself to put my guys in a bad situation now that's selfish to me.

Lamar Jackson @Lj_era8

All in All I love you all ❤️ don't ever think I have an attitude speaking on the net 🤣 Only if we losing I don't know anyone who smiles after losing or play around 🤣🤣🤣 you should not play sports bro. Other than that I'm in great spirits at all times if you know me you know🙏🏾

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders backed Jackson after his comments, responding to him on Twitter:

COACH PRIME @DeionSanders

Stop explaining Yourself to fools and allow fools to be fools. A brother trying that's strong, believes in himself and willing to stand for what he believes will always be misunderstood &amp; judged by fools of all ethnicities. Love ya my brother and "I Believe in You" ! <a href="">#CoachPrime</a> <a href="">

Jackson was out for Baltimore's final five regular-season games and the Ravens' AFC Wild Card Round loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He revealed in January he had a Grade 2 PCL sprain and that his knee was "unstable."

That the 26-year-old remains without a long-term extension has left many baffled. In five seasons, he has established himself as an elite quarterback whose dual-threat abilities are almost unparalleled in league history.

Jackson's injury record might be one reason the Ravens are balking at meeting his contract demands. On March 14, ESPN's Adam Schefter referenced his previous reporting with Chris Mortensen about an offer from Baltimore that included $133 million fully guaranteed

NFL on ESPN @ESPNNFL

.<a href="">@AdamSchefter</a> broke down the proposed 5-year extension Lamar Jackson turned down ahead of the 2022 season: <a href="">

That's significantly less than the $230 million Deshaun Watson got from the Cleveland Browns with his five-year, fully guaranteed contract.

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank argued Jackson's situation is "very different" from the race to acquire Watson from the Houston Texans one season ago, citing Jackson's playing style and the number of games he has missed recently:

Josh Kendall @JoshTheAthletic

More Blank on Jackson: "Looking at it objectively I'd say there's some concern over how long can he play his style of game. Hopefully a long time ..., but he's missed 5, 6 games each of the last two years. Each game counts a lot in our business."

Of course, it's worth noting Watson suffered a torn ACL as a rookie in 2017. Then he missed the entire 2021 season and was suspended for 11 games in 2022 after 25 women filed lawsuits alleging sexual assault or misconduct during massage therapy appointments. One lawsuit was dropped because the woman did not want her name added to the filing, while 23 have been settled.

The Browns were willing to trade three first-round picks to the Texans for Watson and then give him a record-setting deal despite the lawsuits and not knowing when he'd actually play. The NFL sought to suspend him for all of 2022 before settling on the 11-game ban.

For Blank and others, it may not send the right kind of message to imply Watson was a safer or more sensible long-term investment than Jackson, who hasn't made any major off-field missteps.

The two-time Pro Bowler is clearly looking to shape the narrative as it relates to his durability. Based on how slowly his market has evolved, those attempts appear to be unsuccessful.