Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson established himself as the most dynamic quarterback in the NFL and a bonafide superstar during the 2019 regular season, and he enters his second career postseason leading a team considered the betting favorite to win Super Bowl LIV in February.
Jackson sat down with NFL Network’s Steve Smith and reflected on the Ravens’ incredible year so far, but also said he’s been thinking about the Super Bowl every single day.
.@Lj_era8 sat down for a 1-on-1 interview with Steve Smith Sr.
One thing is clear: the soon-to-be MVP's leadership is on par with his athleticism…
#RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/LDhW4vHMFB— GMFB (@gmfb) January 11, 2020
“Every day I think about the Super Bowl. It’s been on my mind since the first game of the season. When I got drafted I told Baltimore that’s what I was going to do. I want to be like the Brady of my era.”
Jackson obviously has a long way to go to build a resume approaching the six-time Super Bowl champion, and another franchise matching the long-term consistency the Patriots have managed is almost unthinkable, but in many ways the 23-year old is already ahead of Brady’s pace.
Brady won his first Super Bowl (XXXVI over the Rams) in his second NFL season, as Jackson hopes to do with the No. 1 seed Ravens in 2020. Like Brady, Jackson earned a Pro Bowl selection in his sophomore year – but Jackson was also voted a first-team NFL All-Pro, a feat Brady did not accomplish until his eighth NFL season. Jackson is the overwhelming favorite to be named NFL MVP later this year, something Brady also needed eight years to accomplish.
To start, though, Jackson needs to deliver in the NFL playoffs the way Brady always has. He’ll get a chance on Saturday night against the Titans.
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