You're scrolling through X (formerly Twitter) or TikTok late at night, and suddenly you see a blurry photo of a guy in a Baltimore jersey. You pause. You squint. You’re almost certain it’s the two-time MVP himself just hanging out at a local gas station. But it isn't him. It's just another "Lamar Jackson look alike" sending the internet into a tailspin.
Honestly, it happens more than you'd think.
Lamar Jackson has one of those faces—and certainly a specific style—that seems to trigger a "glitch in the matrix" for NFL fans. Whether it’s a random fan in the stands or a Hollywood legend, the search for Lamar's twin has become a bizarre subculture within the Ravens Flock. Some are coincidences. Others are high-effort memes. A few are just plain eerie.
The Samuel L. Jackson Connection (It’s Not Just the Last Name)
If you haven't seen the side-by-side photos of a young Samuel L. Jackson and Lamar Jackson, you are missing out on one of the internet's most persistent rabbit holes. People have been obsessed with this for years. It’s not just about the shared surname; it’s the facial structure. Specifically, photos of a 1960s-era Samuel L. Jackson show a jawline and gaze that are basically a carbon copy of the Ravens' QB1.
In early 2024, a post from the account Ghetto Gronk went viral by comparing the AFC and NFC championship quarterbacks to celebrity doubles. They paired Patrick Mahomes with Sara Gilbert and Jared Goff with Ryan Gosling. But the one that really stuck? Lamar and Samuel L.
The resemblance is so striking that fans on Reddit and Instagram have joked for years that Lamar might be a secret time-traveling relative. For the record: they are not related. Lamar was born in Pompano Beach, Florida, to Lamar Jackson Sr. and Felicia Jones. Samuel L. Jackson hails from Washington, D.C., and grew up in Chattanooga. Still, when you see a clip of Samuel L. in a vintage film, you’ll probably find yourself doing a double-take.
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That Time Snoop Dogg Joined the Conversation
Sometimes the Lamar Jackson look alike isn't even a stranger. Sometimes it's a photo of Lamar himself that looks like someone else entirely.
Take the "dull-eyed" car photo. In 2024, Lamar appeared on Complex's I Got Time Today and addressed a viral image of him sitting in a car with the windows down. He looked... well, he looked a little out of it. Lamar laughed it off, revealing that his own cousin was the one who took the picture. The punchline? His cousin told him point-blank: "You look like Snoop Dogg in Baby Boy."
Lamar didn't just ignore it; he embraced it. He admitted it was a "funny picture" and leaned into the comparison. It’s that kind of authenticity that makes the search for a Lamar lookalike so much fun for the fans. He’s in on the joke.
The Viral Fan at M&T Bank Stadium
During the 2023-2024 season, the cameras at M&T Bank Stadium panned to a fan who caused an immediate stir on social media. This wasn't a celebrity comparison. This was a man who looked so much like Martin Luther King Jr. that the internet didn't know how to handle it.
"Everyone's sending me memes now at this point," the fan reportedly said after the clip went viral.
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While not a direct lookalike of Lamar himself, the "MLK at the Ravens game" moment became intrinsically tied to Lamar's season. Fans began weaving a narrative that Lamar had "the ancestors" watching over him. It sounds ridiculous, but in the world of sports superstitions and viral memes, it became a core part of the "Lamar Jackson look alike" lore.
Why Do We See Lamar Everywhere?
It’s partly because Lamar Jackson is a singular figure in American culture. He has a very distinct silhouette—slender but athletic, often sporting the braids or a headband, and carrying a specific swagger. When someone matches even two of those traits, the "lookalike" sirens start blaring.
We’ve seen it with:
- College Players: Every time a dual-threat QB with a thin frame and braids shows up in the SEC or the Big Ten, the "Lamar 2.0" labels start flying.
- The "Fake Lamar" on Bleacher Report: Gridiron Heights and other parody shows have leaned into the "Fake Lamar" trope, creating a character that exists solely to highlight how hard it is to actually mimic his style.
- Random Sightings: There are dozens of TikToks featuring "Lamar" working at a Subway or a Foot Locker.
The Reality of Being a Doppelgänger
Finding a Lamar Jackson look alike is mostly about the "fun" factor, but for the people who actually look like him, it can be a weird life. Imagine going to a grocery store in Maryland and being mobbed for autographs because you happen to have the same facial hair and a similar build.
But there's a deeper level to this. The obsession with his lookalikes actually speaks to his massive impact on the game. We don't spend this much time looking for lookalikes of "boring" players. We look for them because Lamar is a highlight reel in human form. We want to see him everywhere.
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Spotting the Real Lamar vs. the Fakes
If you think you've spotted a Lamar Jackson look alike in the wild, check for these "tells" before you post it to Reddit:
- The Walk: Lamar has a very specific, bouncy gait. Most doppelgängers walk like regular humans.
- The Hands: He has incredibly large hands for his frame—crucial for those "flick of the wrist" 60-yard bombs.
- The Jewelry: While lookalikes might buy a fake "Dreamer" chain, the real deal has a specific shine that's hard to replicate on a budget.
- The Eye Contact: Lamar is known for being surprisingly humble and soft-spoken in person. If the "lookalike" is being too loud or seeking attention, it's probably a fake.
Final Word on the Lamar Twins
The hunt for a Lamar Jackson look alike isn't going anywhere. As long as he's breaking ankles on Sundays and winning MVPs, people are going to keep projecting his face onto every person who shares a slight resemblance. Whether it’s the timeless Samuel L. Jackson comparison or a random guy in the nosebleeds at a home game, the "Lamar-verse" is only getting bigger.
Next time you see a photo that looks "just like him," remember: there’s only one guy who can move like that on a football field. Everyone else is just a glitch in the timeline.
If you’re looking to join the conversation, the best place to find the latest "spotted" photos is the Baltimore Ravens subreddit or the #RavensFlock tag on X. Just make sure you check the jawline against those 1960s Samuel L. photos first. You might be surprised at how deep the resemblance goes.