Ahead of Beyonce’s highly-anticipated Christmas Day performance, Lamar Jackson asserted that he wouldn’t miss it for the world – or a Baltimore Ravens game, for that matter.

On Wednesday, Beyonce is slated to take the stage at NRG Stadium during halftime of the Ravens’ game against the Houston Texans. Though Jackson will certainly have other commitments during the performance – namely gameplanning for the final two quarters of play – the quarterback informed members of the media that he would still find a way to catch the show.

When asked on Monday if he was disappointed to be missing the pop icon’s concert, Jackson replied: “No, because I’m going to go out there and watch. I’m going to go out there and watch. [It will be my] first time seeing Beyoncé perform, and it’s at our game – that’s dope. I’m going to go out and watch. Sorry [head coach John] Harbaugh, sorry. Sorry fellas.”

When one reporter questioned if the Ravens’ lead at halftime could play a role in whether or not Jackson watches Beyonce – whose hit song ‘To the left’ is his favorite track – the 27-year-old added: “No, I’m not even thinking about the lead. I was just thinking about just seeing Beyonce for the first time.

“Not saying it like that; no disrespect or [anything], because I know how people can take things.”

Jackson is far from the only person in Baltimore’s locker room who’s looking forward to seeing Beyonce. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh jokingly warned his players that “there will be big trouble” should they sneak out to attend the halftime show, but made sure to give the songstress her due praise.

Beyonce is set to perform at halftime of the Baltimore Ravens' game against the Houston Texans

Beyonce is set to perform at halftime of the Baltimore Ravens’ game against the Houston Texans ( 

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Getty Images)

“I can’t say I’m a huge Beyonce fan, but I think I like her,” he said. “Is she doing country [music] now? You think some of those country songs will be in there? You’ll have to report to me on that.”

Upon being reminded that Beyonce previously performed at the Super Bowl XLVII halftime show – in which the Ravens defeated the 49ers, 34-31 – Harbaugh responded: “Did she? That’s good to know. I do remember that now. Focus, focus.”

This isn’t the first time that an NFL player has expressed a desire to catch the halftime performance of a big game. Back in February of 2022, Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson infamously returned to the sidelines early during Super Bowl LVI in order to watch Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent perform.

“Looking back on it, if there was a camera in my face, I wouldn’t stay out there,” McPherson told The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. “I get how it looked. It probably looked pretty bad. I probably wouldn’t do it again, but no regrets.”

The decision particularly drew the ire of Bengals special teams coordinator and assistant head coach Darrin Simmons, who slammed McPherson and long snapper Clark Harris for not being present in the locker room. “It’s triple, it’s triple-y bad,” he said. “It’s embarrassing.”