The NFL’s previous season has concluded, and although the new campaign is underway, the Lamar Jackson MVP debate remains heated. Bomani Jones, a well-known sports commentator, reignited the discussion about whether Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen deserved the MVP award over Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson. This debate centers on their contrasting performances and how voters ultimately decided the title.
Jones addressed the topic on his podcast The Right Time with Bomani Jones, expressing skepticism about Allen’s MVP victory. He suggested that the MVP honor for Allen primarily reflected the writers’ desire to be generous rather than a fair assessment of performance:
The writers wanted to be nice to Josh Allen. That’s the only reasonable explanation for how it is that Lamar Jackson can be First Team All-Pro and Josh Allen win the MVP.
Lamar Jackson delivered an exceptional season, throwing for 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns while only committing four interceptions. He topped the league in several key statistics, such as touchdown percentage (8.6%), yards per attempt (8.8), passer rating (119.6), and quarterback rating (QBR) at 77.3.
Jackson also contributed 915 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground, showcasing his dual-threat abilities. His remarkable efforts earned him First-Team All-Pro honors in the <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/football/nfl/afc/”>AFC, a distinction that complicated the narrative when Allen was named NFL MVP instead. The decision sparked widespread debate in the sports media, with numerous analysts weighing the merits of both players.
Comparing Josh Allen’s Impact to Lamar Jackson’s Season
Josh Allen put up impressive numbers in his own right, completing 307 passes with a 63.6% completion rate, throwing for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns. Additionally, he contributed substantial rushing production, accumulating 531 yards and scoring 12 rushing touchdowns—ranking second among quarterbacks in that category last season.
Allen’s statistical output came despite the Bills lacking the high-profile offensive weapons found on the Ravens roster, which features stars like Derrick Henry and tight end Mark Andrews alongside other notable players. This contrast further fueled discussion around the MVP decision, as analysts debated the relative weight of team talent versus individual performance.
Both Jackson and Allen had seasons worthy of MVP consideration, making the award difficult to assign definitively. Some observers, including Bomani Jones, see underlying factors beyond pure performance influencing perceptions, attributing certain debates to attempts at stirring controversy or racial narratives within sports discourse.
Jones has also placed Lamar Jackson’s place in football history on the map, emphasizing his potential future beyond MVP awards. On his podcast, Jones remarked:
“Lamar Jackson is going to make it to the Hall of Fame.”—Bomani Jones, Sports Commentator
The Ravens’ Focus Shifts Toward Super Bowl Ambitions
Despite the continued conversations about individual accolades, the Baltimore Ravens have turned their attention fully toward winning the Super Bowl in the 2025 season. They have established themselves as a formidable franchise, securing six playoff berths over the past seven years and claiming four division titles during that stretch.
Entering the new season, the Ravens retain nearly their entire core from last year’s AFC North championship team, a squad recognized for balanced excellence on offense and defense. The apparent decline in dominance from the Kansas City Chiefs and uncertainty among other AFC contenders open a promising window for Baltimore’s championship aspirations.
Lamar Jackson stands at the heart of these ambitions, coming off another season that many view as MVP-caliber. His combination of arm talent and rushing prowess, highlighted by nearly 1,000 yards gained on the ground and First-Team All-Pro recognition, has solidified him as a franchise cornerstone. However, the ultimate measure of greatness still eludes him: a Super Bowl title.
Jones also expressed that while Jackson might not yet be a Hall of Famer, his trajectory strongly suggests he is headed in that direction, with a Super Bowl victory potentially cementing his legacy in Canton, Ohio.
The Broader Impact of the MVP Debate on the Sport’s Narrative
The Lamar Jackson MVP debate underscores deeper conversations in the NFL about how awards are decided and how narratives develop around star players. The comparison between Jackson and Allen reveals the complexity of evaluating achievements when individual statistics, team dynamics, and external perceptions intertwine.
This ongoing controversy also illustrates how awards can sometimes reflect broader societal issues and media dynamics, not just on-field accomplishments. As both Jackson and Allen continue to excel, the debate fuels passionate discussions among fans, analysts, and commentators alike.
For the Ravens and Lamar Jackson, however, the prize hanging above all else remains clear: finally capturing the Super Bowl championship that has so far eluded them, showcasing his greatness not only through individual honors but by etching a lasting legacy at the highest level of football.