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 for the second straight season. You won’t have to wait any longer to find out that Lamar is the 2024 PFT Player of the Year.

There is still no consensus about the meaning and context of the term. Valuable to his team? To the league? value how?

But we know it when we see it. This is what voters were hoping to do. Trust your eyes, trust your gut. Anyone and everyone can come up with an advanced statistical formula that supports Lamar or the runner-up, Josh Allen. In the end, it’s instinct. And Jackson’s performance — which was actually better than last year’s MVP-winning showing — makes it clear.

Jackson had his best season yet, with over 4,100 receiving yards and over 900 receiving 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 yards more than he did the first time he was named league MVP, in 2019.

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

Some will argue that Jackson had more help from those around him than Allen did. But running back James Cook rushed for over 1,000 yards and scored 18 total touchdowns. And every pass Allen completed was caught by one of his teammates. Lamar was still amazing. 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 worth mentioning include Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, who rushed for over 2,000 yards and scored 15 total touchdowns despite losing a lot to rushing drives. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had his best season yet, even if it wasn’t good enough to reach the playoffs. Lions quarterback Jared Goff led the Lions to first place in the NFC.

In the end, it all came back to Lamar. After two years of no team trying to sign him to an offer sheet as a non-exclusive franchise player, he earned back-to-back PFT MVP awards. And in a few weeks, he’ll likely have back-to-back AP MVP awards as well.