Lamar Jackson had, by any measure, his best statistical season ever in 2024. And yet he still came away from NFL Honors night empty-handed. Jackson came up just short in his bid to win his third NFL Most Valuable Player award, as Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen earned 27 first-place votes for MVP, edging out Jackson’s 23.
Lamar also finished second in NFL Offensive Player of the Year voting, although this race was much more decisive. Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley took home 35 first-place votes, considerably more than Jackson’s 12.
While he didn’t claim any new awards on Thursday night, Jackson still retains his status as the greatest dual-threat quarterback in the game—quite possibly ever.
Two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees seem to agree.
“Lamar Jackson is a guy with such a unique skill set,” Drew Brees said in an exclusive with RG. “Because there is no other quarterback that can run like him. You could truly design an offense and a game plan behind his ability to run or his ability to affect how the defense plays the run, just because of the threat that he poses.”
2024 saw Jackson become the first quarterback to throw for 4,000+ yards and rush for 800+ yards in a single season. On Christmas Day, Jackson surpassed Michael Vick to become the all-time leader in career rushing yards by a quarterback.
While Brees has never won the NFL MVP award, and Lamar has never won Super Bowl MVP honors, both quarterbacks have one elite award on their resumes.
The Baltimore Ravens signal caller earned first-team All-Pro honors earlier this week, a feat Brees accomplished in 2006.
Jackson’s backfield mate, running back Derrick Henry, finished two places behind him (good for fourth) in NFL Offensive Player of the Year voting tonight.
