At 27 years old and yet in the prime of his career, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has already arrived in Canton.
It was clear on Thursday night when he walked across the stage at the 13th Annual NFL Honors to accept The Associated Press MVP award for the second time, defeating Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen, San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey, Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, and San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy.
He is the youngest two-time MVP since the merger, surpassing Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who will compete in his fourth Super Bowl on Sunday night.
Jackson has established himself as one of the top five quarterbacks. Nonetheless, he is one of the most closely watched players in the league. His harshest critics will continuously point out his lack of playoff success.
Jackson’s playoff record is 2-4, with his most recent loss coming at home against the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. He also had a 75.7 quarterback rating in the six postseason games.
There’s no doubting Jackson has struggled in major games. But this should not prevent people from acknowledging a generational skill.
At his best, Jackson is one of the most difficult players to defend. He sometimes resembles a Madden player creator. Jackson’s career has been littered with jaw-dropping moments, from his spin move against Cincinnati in 2019 to his five touchdown passes against Miami last December.
