The Associated Press has named Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson the NFL’s MVP for the 2019 season.
It’s another in a long list of awards Jackson won in his second season, including five Offensive Player of the Week awards, a first-team All-Pro nomination and his first Pro Bowl. But winning the MVP award is the NFL’s top prize that puts him on a rarified list of Hall of Famers and other greats while cementing his legacy as one of the most unique and talented players the league has ever seen.
After a rookie season that saw plenty of fans and pundits criticize Jackson, he put in serious work during the offseason to improve in all areas of his game. For his second season, Jackson quickly inspired awe from fans and peers alike, creating a bunch of highlights in the process. This award completes what has been a magical season for Jackson that leaves a wake of broken records behind him.
The most notable comes from Jackson’s 1,206 rushing yards that shattered Michael Vick’s previous record for single-season rushing yards for a quarterback. When combined with his 3,127 passing yards, Jackson became the first player to ever throw for 3,000-plus yards while rushing for 1,000-plus yards in a single season.
Jackson also led the NFL with 36 passing touchdowns in spite of missing all of Week 17 and being held out of the fourth quarter in five different blowout wins this season. Jackson’s improvement as a passer helped lead Baltimore’s offense to a No. 1 ranking in points scored and No. 2 ranking in total yards while setting a franchise-best 14-2 record that netted them the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.
Jackson finished the season with a 66.1% completion rate for 3,127 passing yards, a 6:1 TD:INT ratio and a passer rating of 113.3 while adding 1,206 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns on the ground.
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