PFT’s 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player: Lamar Jackson

Next month we’ll likely learn that Lamar Jackson has won the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award for the third time in six years and second straight year. You don’t have to wait any longer to find out that Lamar is the PFT MVP for 2024.

There is still no consensus on the meaning and context of the term. Valuable to his team? To the league? Valuable like?

But we know it when we see it. Hopefully the voters did that. Trust your eyes, trust your gut feeling. Anyone and everyone can concoct an advanced statistical formula that supports Lamar or runner-up Josh Allen. Ultimately it is instinctive. And Jackson’s performance — which was actually better than last year’s MVP-winning performance — makes it clear.

Jackson had his best season to date with more than 4,100 passing yards and more than 900 rushing yards. This is unprecedented. He is also the first quarterback in league history with more than 40 touchdown passes and fewer than five interceptions. He threw for more than 1,000 more yards than he did the first time around when he was named league MVP in 2019.

Allen was a close second. Statistically, he had better seasons, but he also had some incredible single-game performances. He had a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown (without catching a pass) in a snowball win Sunday night against the 49ers. He had three passing touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns in a shootout against the Rams. He had two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a road win against the Lions. And he ended the Chiefs’ 15-game winning streak with a 26-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-2 with the game still in the balance.

Some will argue that Jackson had more help around him than Allen. But running back James Cook rushed for over 1,000 yards and scored 18 total touchdowns. And every pass Allen completed was caught by a teammate. Lamar was still spectacular; The fact that he stood out statistically despite running back Derrick Henry rushing for nearly 2,000 yards makes Lamar’s performance even more impressive.

Others worthy of mention include Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, who ran for more than 2,000 yards and scored 15 total touchdowns despite losing a lot to the tush push. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had his best season yet, even if it wasn’t good enough to make the playoffs. And Lions quarterback Jared Goff propelled the Lions to the top of the NFC.

In the end, it all came back to Lamar. Two years after any team could have tried to sign him as a non-exclusive franchise player, he is receiving consecutive PFT MVP honors. In a few weeks, he’ll likely win two straight AP MVP awards, too.