Lamar Jackson didn’t just dominate the 2024 season—he solidified his place as the gold standard for NFL quarterbacks. By claiming PFF's (Pro Football Focus) year-end MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, and Dwight Stephenson Award honors, Jackson swept through the league’s most coveted advanced-metrics honors.
And let’s be honest—none of it was all that surprising.
Jackson’s 2024 campaign was a masterclass in quarterbacking evolution. He became the first player in NFL history to surpass 4,000 passing yards and 800 rushing yards in a single season. He thrived under pressure, leading the league with an 83.8 PFF grade when defenses brought the heat, and posted the highest yards-per-attempt average (8.8) of any quarterback this year. Yet, the impact of his season goes far beyond the box score or even Baltimore’s 12-5 record.
Jackson’s dominance is no longer just about what he accomplishes individually. It’s about how he’s changed the DNA of the quarterback position—and, by extension, the league itself.
Lamar Jackson is paving the way for the next generation of QBs
Jackson’s influence is clear when you look at Washington Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels, who just walked away with PFF’s Rookie of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Daniels turned a bottom-tier roster into a playoff team, posting an 89.6 PFF grade that ranks just behind Jackson’s 2019 MVP campaign.
Daniels is cut from the same cloth as Jackson: a dual-threat dynamo who can dismantle defenses with his arm and legs. And while Daniels deserves his flowers for an incredible first season, his rise underscores how Jackson has reshaped the NFL landscape.
Before Jackson, quarterbacks like him were often labeled "projects," "running backs," or “gimmicks.” Now, they’re prototypes. The Ravens proved with Jackson you don’t just adapt a system to fit these quarterbacks—you build around their unique abilities. Teams like Washington are clearly following Baltimore’s blueprint, hoping they’ve found the next Lamar Jackson.
But the truth? There’s still only one Lamar. And as great as Daniels has been, Jackson’s brilliance continues to set the bar at a height few can reach.
Even as Jackson collects awards and shatters expectations, the NFL MVP race feels unnecessarily close. Analysts and fans have spent weeks debating Jackson vs. Josh Allen, with some pushing Allen as the sentimental choice. The argument? Allen doesn’t have an MVP yet, and Jackson already has two.
That logic is absurd. MVP isn’t a lifetime achievement award or a consolation prize. It’s about who was the best player this season. And Jackson’s case is ironclad. He’s the engine behind the Ravens' record-breaking offense, the glue holding everything together, and the reason Baltimore is a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Jackson doesn’t need validation from the MVP voters. His sweep of PFF’s top honors already confirms what anyone paying attention knows: he’s at the top of his game—potentially nowhere near a finished product—and the Ravens’ championship hopes rest squarely on his shoulders.
What makes Jackson’s legacy even more remarkable is that he’s not just winning—he’s defining what winning looks like in the modern NFL. His success isn’t just a testament to his talent; it’s a blueprint for the future.