Lamar Jackson admitted he “still has stuff to prove to the naysayers” despite landing his second NFL MVP award on Thursday night.
Jackson claimed 49 of the 50 votes to record his second MVP award after winning it in 2019. The 27-year-old guided the Baltimore Ravens to the AFC Championship Game but it was his regular season record that swayed the judges.
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The Ravens went 13-4 thanks largely to 3,678 yards passing and a 67.2 completion rate from the star quarterback.
The defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs in the post-season meant his wait for a Super Bowl ring was extended, and that continues to drive Jackson on.
He told the Ravens’ website: “”It is an honour just to be among the greatest of all time.
“To do stuff like this is incredible. I never thought I’d be two-time MVP. If anything, I thought I would be a Super Bowl-winning quarterback by now.
“I still have stuff to prove to the naysayers. But I need the naysayers to keep going [and] keep adding fuel to that fire for me to keep being Lamar Jackson.”
Jackson also recognised his team-mates, and the Ravens organisation, for the part they played in his success.
“I want to thank my organisation, the Baltimore Ravens, for finally getting the deal done,” said Jackson, who signed a five-year, $260 million contract nine months ago.
“My offense [and] offensive line, I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done. I’m not out there blocking and catching the ball and doing everything. It’s a team thing for these awards.”
A lifetime in the making. MVP x 2‼️@Lj_era8
: “Fly In”@LilTunechi | @RepublicRecords pic.twitter.com/h92KVnNRYk
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) February 9, 2024
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey landed the Offensive Player of the Year award with Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett winning the defensive equivalent.
The Browns were also honoured in the Coach of the Year category with Kevin Stefanski named ahead of the Houston Texans’ DeMeco Ryans.
