Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens beat the Browns 47-42 in Cleveland on Monday night in what was the best game of the 2020 regular season. Jackson orchestrated the go-ahead and then game-winning drives for the Ravens in the final two minutes, but that came after a lengthy period in which he was in the locker room.
Jackson went to the locker room with a 34-20 lead in the early fourth quarter with what the Ravens eventually told ESPN’s Lisa Salters was a cramping issue. However, the way he trotted through the tunnel to the locker room made many wonder if this was, instead, a digestive issue and he was having a lengthy visit to the bathroom.
I know that kind of run, and it ain’t because of cramps lol… pic.twitter.com/icg4Wv9pgt
— Will Blackmon
(@WillBlackmon) December 15, 2020
This led to a tremendous number of poop jokes on social media, with many referencing the infamous Paul Pierce incident in the 2008 NBA Finals in which the Celtics star left in a wheelchair only to return later to play. Many have posited Pierce actually had to poop, and Pierce himself even said as much last year — although he would later insist that was a joke.
Jackson was asked after the game about what happened and was very much aware of the speculation he was having intestinal issues, and firmly denied it, saying he did not “pull a Paul Pierce.”
“I didn’t pull a Paul Pierce. I was cramping.” @Lj_era8
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 15, 2020
It’s an incredible quote and given the length of time Jackson was in the locker room the cramping issue seems very much like the real thing that happened. That said, even this firm denial will not stop the speculation on social media, and we’ll have to see if 11 years in the future Jackson offers a similar revelation to Pierce.