Lamar Jackson has earned significant recognition during his NFL career, including two MVP awards, three First Team All-Pro honors, and four Pro Bowl selections, alongside setting multiple passing and rushing records. Still, the major milestone of playoff success and a Super Bowl title has so far escaped him. Jackson’s playoff record reveals struggles, with 13 touchdowns paired against seven interceptions and two fumbles across eight games, reflecting challenges during critical moments.
NFL analyst Emmanuel Acho has emphasized Jackson’s need to elevate his game in the postseason to join the ranks of generational talents like Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, whose achievements set a high bar.
“If we’re being honest about it all, Lamar has to be special in the playoffs. He’s special in the regular season… He’s yet to be special in the playoffs. He’s been good in the playoffs, but Lamar has to be the difference maker. Hey, if the defense lets you down to some degree, Lamar be the great eraser. If the offense lets you down, Lamar be the great eraser…”
Jackson’s performances have been solid, yet lacking the defining moments that transform good players into legendary postseason leaders, which is a critical factor in the playoff narrative.
“For me, if you are going to be one of the greatest players of the generation, and I don’t know if he can be All-Decade, because I’m sure that will go to Patrick Mahomes, but if you’re going to be one of the greatest players of the generation, he has to be that in the playoffs as well.” Acho said on Monday on ‘The Facility’.
Comparing the Top Quarterbacks Competing for the All-Decade Crown
The NFL landscape for the quarterback title of the decade narrows mostly to three contenders: Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, and Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen. These elite players collectively have secured three MVP awards, three First Team All-Pro distinctions, and ten Pro Bowl nods since 2020. Among them, Mahomes has stood out through sustained team success and individual performance.
Each quarterback earned MVP honors consecutively—Mahomes in 2022, Jackson in 2023, and Allen in 2024—demonstrating their high-level impact on the field. Nonetheless, Mahomes is widely recognized as a dominant figure due to his ability to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to multiple championships and consistently perform at an elite level in crucial moments.
Before reaching the age of 30, Mahomes captured three Super Bowl titles, two of which came after 2020, establishing him as a central pillar of one of the NFL’s most successful franchises.
Playoff Performance as the Defining Measure of Legacy
While individual awards and regular-season excellence provide important markers of success, playoff achievements often become the defining attributes that elevate a quarterback’s legacy. Patrick Mahomes’ success in the postseason, marked by clutch performances and three Super Bowl wins, contrasts with Lamar Jackson’s challenges during playoff clashes. This difference in decisive moments shapes perceptions of greatness and sustained impact.
Jackson’s career to date includes moments of brilliance, but the expectation remains that he must seize playoff opportunities to solidify his status among the all-time greats. The pressure intensifies as fans and analysts continue to debate the all-decade quarterback, with playoff excellence serving as a critical benchmark.
With several promising seasons ahead, the trajectory of Jackson’s career will depend heavily on his ability to convert potential into postseason victories, closing the gap with Mahomes and others.