Lamar Jackson wins 2023 NFL MVP: How Ravens QB won for second time - The Athletic

Lamar Jackson capped off his stellar season by picking up the 2023 NFL MVP award Thursday at the NFL Honors ceremony. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback became the 11th player in league history to win the award for a second time after he captured his first MVP honor in the 2019 season.

Jackson completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 3,678 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also produced in the running game with 821 rushing yards and five TDs. He guided the Ravens to the No. 1 seed in the AFC this postseason and advanced to the AFC Championship Game for the first time in his career, before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Others deemed finalists for the award with Jackson:

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A second MVP for Lamar Jackson would put him in elite company: 'He's a phenomenal success'

The Ravens extended Jackson’s contract last April on a five-year deal worth $260 million, with $185 million guaranteed. The investment paid off with Jackson looking far more like his MVP self of four seasons ago in 2023.

The other 10 players to win the MVP more than once:

Why Jackson won

Jackson didn’t emerge as an MVP candidate this season because he led the league in touchdown passes, set rushing records and directed the highest-scoring offense in the NFL. He did all those things in 2019, when he became only the second unanimous MVP in NFL history.

Jackson also didn’t necessarily have his signature MVP moment this season, as he did in 2019 with the spin move and dash to the end zone in Cincinnati or the five touchdown passes in Los Angeles.

What Jackson did produce this season was more evidence that he’s the league’s single most important player to his team’s success. As Hall of Fame quarterback and ESPN analyst Troy Aikman said before a Ravens broadcast this past season, there’s no quarterback asked to do more for his team.

In 2023, Jackson delivered. He showed his growth as a passer, decision-maker and leader, all while learning a completely new offense under first-year Ravens coordinator Todd Monken. He stayed healthy and remained as dangerous as ever as a dual-threat quarterback.

As teams made their playoff pushes in November and December, Jackson was the best player on the field week in and week out. Baltimore outplayed one top team and MVP candidate after another en route to a 13-4 regular season and the AFC’s top seed. — Jeff Zrebiec, Ravens beat writer

Jackson outlasts field

It had been a pretty wild year in terms of forecasting the MVP race. Here’s a list of players who’ve been the favorite to win the award, via BetMGM, at some point in the last year:

There were five shifts atop the odds in a five-week span: Hurts, Prescott/Purdy, Prescott, Purdy and Jackson.

Head-to-head matchups told the story in a wide-open race this season. Jackson performed well against any of the challengers, especially with Purdy. Plus, Jackson was good all season and outstanding to close it. That’s why Jackson captured his second career MVP award. — Larry Holder, NFL senior writer

NFL MVP list

Year	Player	Team
	Lamar Jackson	Baltimore Ravens
	Patrick Mahomes	Kansas City Chiefs
	Aaron Rodgers	Green Bay Packers
	Aaron Rodgers	Green Bay Packers
	Lamar Jackson	Baltimore Ravens
	Patrick Mahomes	Kansas City Chiefs
		New England Patriots
		Atlanta Falcons
	Cam Newton	Carolina Panthers
	Aaron Rodgers	Green Bay Packers
	Peyton Manning	Denver Broncos
	Adrian Peterson	Minnesota Vikings
	Aaron Rodgers	Green Bay Packers
		New England Patriots
	Peyton Manning	Indianapolis Colts
	Peyton Manning	Indianapolis Colts
		New England Patriots
	LaDainian Tomlinson	San Diego Chargers
	Shaun Alexander	Seattle Seahawks
	Peyton Manning	Indianapolis Colts
	Steve McNair	Tennessee Titans
	Peyton Manning	Indianapolis Colts
	Rich Gannon	Oakland Raiders
	Kurt Warner	St. Louis Rams
	Marshall Faulk	St. Louis Rams
	Kurt Warner	St. Louis Rams
	Terrell Davis	Denver Broncos
	Barry Sanders	Detroit Lions
	Brett Favre	Green Bay Packers
	Brett Favre	Green Bay Packers
	Brett Favre	Green Bay Packers
	Steve Young	San Francisco 49ers
	Emmitt Smith	Dallas Cowboys
	Steve Young	San Francisco 49ers
	Thurman Thomas	Buffalo Bills
	Joe Montana	San Francisco 49ers
	Joe Montana	San Francisco 49ers
	Boomer Esiason	Cincinnati Bengals
	John Elway	Denver Broncos
	Lawrence Taylor	New York Giants
	Marcus Allen	Los Angeles Raiders
	Dan Marino	Miami Dolphins
	Joe Theismann	Washington
	Mark Moseley	Washington
	Ken Anderson	Cincinnati Bengals
	Brian Sipe	Cleveland Browns
	Earl Campbell	Houston Oilers
	Terry Bradshaw	Pittsburgh Steelers
	Walter Payton	Chicago Bears
	Bert Jones	Baltimore Colts
	Fran Tarkenton	Minnesota Vikings
	Ken Stabler	Oakland Raiders
	O.J. Simpson	Buffalo Bills
	Larry Brown	Washington
		Minnesota Vikings
	John Brodie	San Francisco 49ers
	Roman Gabriel	Los Angeles Rams
	Earl Morrall	Baltimore Colts
	Johnny Unitas	Baltimore Colts
	Bart Starr	Green Bay Packers
		Cleveland Browns
	Johnny Unitas	Baltimore Colts
	Y.A. Tittle	New York Giants
	Jim Taylor	Green Bay Packers
	Paul Hornung	Green Bay Packers
	Johnny Unitas	Baltimore Colts
		Cleveland Browns
		Cleveland Browns

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(Photo: Kathryn Riley / Getty Images)

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