BALTIMORE -- The latest scoop on quarterback Lamar Jackson has nothing to do with news about whether he's staying or leaving the Baltimore Ravens. It does involve support from an unexpected source.
On Friday, The Charmery, a Baltimore-based ice cream shop, introduced a new flavor called "Pay Lamar." It's their take on the Pay Day candy bar, featuring peanut butter and caramel ice cream with roasted peanuts and chocolate chips.
"I don't proclaim to know the inside workings of the business," said David Alima, who has been a Ravens fan since the team came to Baltimore and has owned the ice cream shop with his wife, Laura, for over 10 years. "All I know is that Lamar is worth every single penny that he feels he's deserved. That's why I want to pay him."
Alima said the initial response from customers have been extremely positive and that "they are loving the flavor."
Throughout the season, Alima and his friends would say after every big play by Jackson: "Pay that man his money." It wasn't until recently that he came up with the idea when he was a local bar and saw an alert on ESPN. It was an update that Jackson and the Ravens still hadn't reached a deal.
"I was like, 'Oh my god.' It's been this kind of like no news for so long," Alima said. "I was like, 'Why haven't I done a 'Pay Lamar' flavor? I should have done it last week before the tag came out. But, at this point, I was like, 'Let's go.'"
The Ravens placed the nonexclusive franchise tag on Jackson on Tuesday after the sides couldn't reach a new deal after 25 months of negotiating. A source told ESPN last year that Jackson wants a fully guaranteed contract like the one given to Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson a year ago and the Ravens are reluctant to do so because they believe that deal is more of an outlier than a precedent.
On Wednesday, Jackson can begin talking to other teams under the nonexclusive tag, which would pay him $32 million next season. If he signs an offer sheet with another team, Baltimore has five days to match the offer, or receive two first-round picks as compensation.
"I love Lamar. I love what he is in Baltimore," Alima said. "He feels like a Baltimore Raven to me. He feels like he represents our city so well."
This isn't the first time The Charmery has featured Jackson with its ice cream. The shop released a "Lamarshmallow Twirl" flavor before the Ravens' playoff game against the Buffalo Bills in January 2021, which featured Nutella, graham crackers and cereal marshmallows.
Alima said he doesn't know whether Jackson is aware of his complimentary concoctions.
"Lamar is guarded but I totally get that and respect that," Alima said. "But [the ice cream] is just to show love to him and let him know what the people in Baltimore are feeling."