Getty Lamar Jackson after the playoff loss.
Lamar Jackson was just voted the unanimous NFL MVP, but not even that could make him a favorite for the 2020-21 season.
Even in spite of the fact that Jackson was the hands down winner of the award this past season for his elite work with the Baltimore Ravens, he is not the favorite entering next season. That distinction belongs to Patrick Mahomes, the recent Super Bowl champion as well as MVP from the Kansas City Chiefs.
A look at some of the recent odds shows that Jackson is trailing in the odds to Mahomes, albeit slightly.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, the reigning NFL MVP, is not the favorite to repeat. Here are the odds from Westgate SuperBook for 2020 NFL MVP:
Patrick Mahomes 4-to-1
Lamar Jackson 6-1
Russell Wilson 10-1
Deshaun Watson 12-1
Dak Prescott 16-1
Carson Wentz 16-1
Expecting Jackson to have as flawless a season as he did in 2019 might be a bit of a stretch, but it’s still wise to think that him and Mahomes will battle for this award well into the future during their time in the league. The duo has already claimed a pair of MVP awards and will likely duke it out for more in the future.
For now, Mahomes is favored to wrestle the award back in 2020.
Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes
Though the duo did not meet up in the 2020 playoffs and haven’t dueled there as of yet, it will not be a stretch to see them battle into the next decade as the next “it” rivalry at quarterback in the NFL. Mahomes, just a few years into his career, has burst on the scene with an MVP award, All-Pro honors and has been to a pair of Pro Bowls. Jackson is set to do the same after his work this season.
Head to head, the Chiefs have beaten the Ravens two straight games dating back to 2018. Jackson hasn’t yet managed to get over the hump with a win against his biggest rival. Until he does, it’s fair for some to keep him behind Mahomes in terms of the best in the NFL.
Stay tuned in the future, of course, to see where the argument goes in the coming years. Many see this as the new big rivalry in football for a long time.
Colin Cowherd even thinks the most recent Super Bowl may have tipped the scales in one direction.
Lamar Jackson Stats
This season, Jackson was the epitome of a dual-threat quarterback and one of the leaders in the next generation of quarterbacks that will make waves in the league. After the action concluded this season, Jackson has put up 3,127 passing yards and 36 touchdowns through the air. On the ground, he has rumbled for 1,206 yards and 7 touchdowns. As a whole, the Ravens have managed to find the best of Jackson on the field. Arguably, he’s become the most obvious MVP candidate in the league given these types of things.
Since being drafted out of Louisville, Jackson has begun to rewrite the book in the league in terms of what a quarterback is and can be. The fact that he was a shoo-in as an All-Pro is a testament to how good Jackson has been in 2019.
Now, he is officially the unquestioned NFL MVP. That, of course, doesn’t mean anything when it comes to a brand new season.
READ NEXT: Writer Makes Bold Claim About Lamar Jackson-Patrick Mahomes Rivalry