MIAMI – Lamar Jackson’s stunning season led to him being named MVP of the 2019 NFL season by The Associated Press, and everyone involved agreed on it.
That’s right: The second-year quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens joins Tom Brady as the only players to receive every vote for MVP.
Jackson drew all 50 votes from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league. Baltimore’s All-Pro dual threat set an NFL record for rushing yards by a quarterback (1,206) and led an offense that compiled more yards on the ground (3,296) than any in league history. The Ravens won their final 12 games of the regular season to finish at 14-2, the league’s best mark in 2019.
The 23-year-old Jackson, who won the Heisman Trophy as a Louisville sophomore in 2016 and was the last pick of the first round of the NFL draft in 2018, had a powerful message for kids who have been told they should change positions on the field and who face criticism and doubters.
“Make those people eat their words,” he said. “It feels good when you can make those people eat their words, because they’re so negative. How are you going to wake up and be so negative about somebody who’s not negative toward you or don’t do anything wrong? Don’t worry about what they say. Do you. Stay focused because you want to be great, and you’re going to be great. Just do you.”