Former University of Maine quarterback Joe Fagnano made his National Football League debut for the Baltimore Ravens in Sunday’s 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, New York.
Starting quarterback Lamar Jackson, who returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games due to a high ankle sprain, suffered a thumb injury on his first throw of the game, and backup Tyler Huntley sustained a toe injury early in the second quarter.
Jackson will need surgery and will be placed on injured reserve by the Ravens.
Fagnano, who transferred from UMaine to the University of Connecticut, completed his first two passes for 28 yards and engineered a third-quarter drive that produced a field goal to pull Baltimore within 16-10.
He finished the game completing 10 of 21 passes for 91 yards. He was sacked three times and threw an interception at the end of the first half that resulted in a Bills field goal. He also had a four-yard run.
Fagnano, an undrafted free agent, earned a roster spot as the No. 3 quarterback by having an impressive preseason for the Ravens.
He led the NFL in passing yards with 509, and he completed 74.7% of his passes (56-for-75). He threw three touchdown passes and was intercepted just once.
In his last preseason game, he completed 19 of 27 passes for 162 yards in a 41-3 win over the Washington Commanders. He threw a touchdown pass and ran for another.
The 25-year-old Fagnano played at Football Championship Subdivision UMaine from 2019-22 and completed 59.7% of his passes (461-for-772) for 5,655 yards and 46 touchdowns. He was intercepted 12 times. He also ran the ball 229 times for 535 yards and five TDs.
He then transferred to Football Bowl Subdivision UConn, where he completed 64.7% of his passes (423-for-654) for 48 TDs and six interceptions. He carried the ball 93 times for 223 yards and four touchdowns.
Last fall, he threw for 3,448 yards and 28 TDs with only one interception. He completed 69% of his passes.
Fagnano signed a three-year deal with the Ravens worth $3.1 million.