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“He’s a running back”

“He can’t throw”

“His mechanics are awful”.

On February 1, 2020, he added the cherry on top. After a record-setting, ankle-breaking season, Lamar Jackson became the second-ever unanimous MVP in NFL history, capping off one of the most extraordinary seasons the NFL will ever see. Who would’ve thought?

From the beginning, Jackson never had it easy in the NFL. His draft class included many top QBs, including the likes of Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, and Josh Rosen. He was picked 32nd, the 5th QB in the 2018 Draft, and began his career as a backup to Joe Flacco.

But when Flacco went down midway through the season, Jackson finally got his chance. He went 6-1 as a starter, with his only loss coming to 2018 NFL MVP and Super Bowl LIV MVP Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. He brought the Ravens from a 4-5 record that was only good enough for third in the AFC North to a 10-6 season record that won them their first AFC North title since 2012.

After adding Mark Ingram to the backfield, Jackson and Coach of the Year John Harbaugh led the Ravens to a franchise-record 14 wins, with Lamar smashing the single-season QB rushing record by over 150 yards (Lamar had 1,206; Michael Vick had the record when he ran for 1,039 yards in 2006).

And for everyone who said he couldn’t throw? His 3,127 passing yards made him the only quarterback in NFL history with 3,000+ passing yards and 1,000+ rushing yards in the same season. He threw for 36 touchdows, good enough for a franchise record for the most passing touchdowns. Not to mention his two perfect passer ratings in Week 1 vs the Dolphins and Week 10 vs the Bengals, marking just the second time a QB has had multiple games with a perfect passer rating (Ben Roethlisberger was the first).

All in all, not a shabby season for someone who they said couldn’t even throw. Absolutely Lamarvelous.