Lamar Jackson in 2016: “It was never my goal to make it to the NFL or even to play college football. That wasn’t why I played. I started playing football because I’m from South Florida and football is what kids from South Florida do. It turned out I was pretty good at it right away.⁠ ⁠ A lot of people helped me get better when I was young, but the best coach I’ve ever had was also my first one: Mom. And I’m not saying that just because she looked out for me and encouraged me to pursue football and all that stuff. I mean she actually made me grind to get better.⁠ ⁠ I grew up in a town called Pompano Beach, and there was a big bridge by our house. My Mom and I would run on it just about every day. Didn’t matter how hot it was. We’d go back and forth, and then back and forth again. And let me tell you, Mom was in shape! I’ve never played in a football game that was more tiring than those long runs on that bridge.⁠ ⁠ After we ran, we’d go into our backyard, put on equipment and start hitti...