Lamar Jackson is one of the greatest college football players of all time. The former Louisville superstar broke numerous records and brought home the university’s first-ever Heisman Trophy in his three seasons.
While winning the Heisman may seem like a great accomplishment, Jackson recently explained how becoming such a prominent figure at Louisville was actually a challenge during his college football career.
Louisville Legend Lamar Jackson Opens Up on the Impact the Heisman Buzz Had on His Life
In the 2016 college football season, Jackson exploded onto the scene. As a sophomore, Jackson was putting up earth-shattering numbers. He finished the season with 3,543 passing yards and 30 touchdowns while running for an additional 1,571 yards and 21 touchdowns.
That performance led him to win the Heisman Trophy, and his name became the talk of the college football world.
While Jackson understood that he was a media sensation, he told comedian Kevin Hart in an interview on “Cold as Balls” that he just felt like his normal self.
“It just changed people who I knew if anything, it didn’t really change me,” Jackson said. “I’m still looking at myself like regular old Lamar who just got to college.”
Jackson went on to explain that the attention he was getting during his 2016 season was almost overwhelming at times, and that he wanted to just focus on winning football games for the Cardinals.
“You’re just their superstar,” Jackson said. “You don’t know what I go through. All types of stuff start happening; it’s like a whirlwind. When I started seeing my name talked about with the Heisman, I’d turn the channel. I was trying to focus on my season, I don’t want anything to get in my head.”
It’s hard for a regular person to comprehend just the amount of attention Jackson was getting during that sophomore season. Not only was he the most talked-about athlete in college football, but he was arguably the most talked-about athlete in the sports world.
Hearing Jackson’s perspective gives fans a unique insight that they don’t normally get to hear. Having to deal with that level of stardom can be a burden on anyone. Being looked at by fans as some sort of savior can be daunting for an athlete.
Jackson was able to push through the noise. He had another great season in his junior year before declaring for the 2018 NFL Draft and getting selected in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens.
