2018 – QB Patrick Mahomes
For the second year in a row, the previous years MVP ended up winning the Super Bowl. Brady did it in 2018, while Patrick Mahomes delivered the goods following the 2019 season.
Mahomes was a revelation in 2018, posting 5,097 passing yards and 50 touchdown passes in his first season as a starter. These deeds propelled the Kansas City Chiefs to a 12-4 regular-season mark and the No. 1 seed in the AFC. But they lost the AFC Championship game at home to the Patriots.
In 2019, Mahomes was restricted to 14 games and wasn’t able to meet the meteoric heights of the previous year. But still, 4,031 passing yards and 26 touchdown throws aren’t exactly hallmarks of a bad season either. The Chiefs earned the No. 2 seed with a 12-4 record, and Mahomes’ dazzling form in the postseason saw the Chiefs win their first Super Bowl for 50 years.
If the deeds and exploits of these players are anything to go by, then we should expect to see some regression from Lamar Jackson in 2020. Very few MVP award winners have gone on to have equally spectacular seasons the following year, though some have come close even if they didn’t win the award in back-to-back seasons.
However, what seems to be a common theme is more success as a team following an MVP campaign. In four of these nine comparisons, teams went on to the Super Bowl the season following an MVP award. If that plays out the same way for the Ravens and Jackson, that seems like a deal most fans would take.
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