Joe Fagnano Starts for Ravens After Injuries to Lamar Jackson

Joe Fagnano entered the National Football League starting lineup on Sunday when Baltimore lost 36-10 to the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, New York.

Fagnano, an undrafted free agent, took the field after starting quarterback Lamar Jackson suffered a thumb injury on his first throw. Jackson had returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games with a high ankle sprain. Backup Tyler Huntley also exited early in the second quarter due to a toe injury. The Ravens will place Jackson on injured reserve following surgery on his thumb.

Fagnano completed his first two passes for 28 yards. He led a third-quarter drive that resulted in a field goal, narrowing the deficit to 16-10. He finished the game with 10 completions on 21 attempts for 91 yards. Baltimore sacked him three times. He threw an interception at the end of the first half, which set up a Bills field goal. He also carried the ball for a four-yard gain.

The 25-year-old quarterback secured a roster spot as the team's No. 3 signal caller after a strong preseason. He led the league in passing yards with 509 and completed 74.7% of his passes, accounting for 56 completions on 75 attempts. He threw three touchdown passes and one interception during the preseason. In his final preseason game, a 41-3 win over the Washington Commanders, he completed 19 of 27 passes for 162 yards. He threw one touchdown pass and ran for another in that contest.

Fagnano played at the University of Maine from 2019 to 2022. At the FCS level, he completed 461 of 772 passes for 5,655 yards and 46 touchdowns. He was intercepted 12 times. He also ran for 535 yards and five scores on 229 carries. He transferred to the University of Connecticut for the FBS. At UConn, he completed 423 of 654 passes for 48 touchdowns and six interceptions. He rushed for 223 yards and four scores on 93 carries. Last fall, he threw for 3,448 yards and 28 touchdowns with one interception on a 69% completion rate.

Fagnano signed a three-year contract with the Ravens worth $3.1 million. The team announced the injury updates and roster moves following the game against Buffalo.