Ravens Name Rookie Starter After Lamar Jackson Injury

Caption: Joe Fagnano with the UConn Huskies in November 2025. Credit: Rick Munroe / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Baltimore Ravens have named undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano to start against Jacksonville after injuries sidelined Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. Coach Jesse Minter announced the decision November 3, giving a quarterback already dealing with an ankle problem his first NFL start in a short preparation week. The change comes while Baltimore tries to recover from three straight losses.

Jackson’s return from a previous absence lasted just one offensive snap in the November 1 game against Buffalo. His right hand collided with a defender during a throw, injuring his thumb. Minter said the two-time league MVP would undergo surgery and be placed on injured reserve, which means he must miss at least four games. The coach did not declare his season definitively over.

The injuries moved down the depth chart

Backup Tyler Huntley subsequently left the Bills game with a toe injury. Fagnano, who had not been preparing as the full-time starter, entered and completed 10 of 21 passes for 91 yards with an interception, according to NFL.com. Baltimore lost 36-10, dropping to 4-4 and intensifying the urgency of the quarterback decision before Thursday’s Jaguars game.

Fagnano also took a low hit during the Buffalo game and continued playing while hurt. The Ravens’ own practice reporting said he was listed as limited early in the week, making even the newly designated starter less than fully healthy. Minter nevertheless confirmed he would play, citing the rookie’s demeanor and ability to manage the offense during preseason work.

The Ravens signed Austin Reed to the practice squad on Monday. Reed had spent time with Baltimore in training camp and was familiar with the playbook, according to the team. That signing provided a second emergency option behind Fagnano after injuries reached both quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart.

A new starter changes the immediate plan

Fagnano must handle protections, timing and decision-making against an NFL defense with only a short preparation week. Minter pointed to Fagnano’s college experience and calm approach as reasons for confidence, while acknowledging the team had to adapt rapidly.

The team’s public announcement named Fagnano as the Jaguars starter rather than elevating Reed, who had only recently returned to the organization. That gave Baltimore a confirmed first-string plan despite uncertainty about the health of three quarterbacks.

Baltimore enters that contest having lost three straight games. The next tangible test of its revised offense is Fagnano’s first professional start at M&T Bank Stadium, with Jackson on injured reserve and Huntley’s return timetable uncertain.

References: Banged Up Joe Fagnano Set to Start vs. Jaguars | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson to undergo surgery on right thumb, will be placed on IR | Jesse Minter’s Updates on Ravens Quarterback Injuries