Lamar Jackson has earned another career milestone this season. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback was selected to the 2024 All-Pro First Team, beating out fellow MVP candidate Josh Allen. The two-time MVP has been recognized by his peers for his excellent season, where he threw for 4,172 yards, 41 touchdowns, and four interceptions. While this does not decide the MVP race, it certainly has some sway in Lamar Jackson’s favor. He has now made the first team for the All-Pro Team and the NFLPA All-Pro Team, while Allen has been trailing behind.
Lamar Jackson’s Excellent Season

Lamar Jackson’s season has been full of great performances and spectacular plays. Some of his best moments came in the final four games of the season. Jackson had 13 combined passing and rushing touchdowns to just one interception and the Ravens defeated the Giants, Steelers, Texans, and Browns. Against the Giants, Jackson threw for 290 yards and five touchdowns. His performance versus the Texans on Christmas Day was full of highlights, including a 48-yard touchdown run and a magnificent scrambling play where he found Isaiah Likely in the endzone. Lamar Jackson capped off his season with 217 passing yards, 63 rushing yards, and two touchdowns in a win over the Browns.
Jackson closed the regular season looking like the best quarterback in the NFL. But he was also lighting teams up before the final stretch of games. On Monday Night Football, he dismantled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He threw for 281 yards and five touchdowns in a 41-31 win. He also led the Ravens offense to a scoring explosion two times against the Cincinnati Bengals. In their first meeting, Lamar Jackson threw for a season-high 348 yards and four touchdowns. When they played again on Thursday Night Football, he had another four-touchdown game with 290 passing yards. Jackson would often dominate against the best teams in the NFL with his game-breaking dual threat ability.
The MVP Race

The MVP Race between Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen has been contentious. If these elite quarterbacks were looked at from a purely statistical standpoint, Jackson would have the edge. He has more passing yards, passing touchdowns, and less interceptions. And now, with the All-Pro First Team selection, Jackson has another advantage over Allen. While the Pro Bowl is determined by fan voting, All-Pro selections are done through a panel of media members. It is more highly regarded than the Pro Bowl because it is not determined by fan popularity. So, Lamar Jackson’s first team honors could hold some sway in the MVP race.
The main argument for Josh Allen was that he was doing more with less and his team was winning more. But the Bills finished the season 13-4, compared to the Ravens 12-5. So, there is not much difference between them. It also doesn’t help Allen’s case that he ended the season with two subpar performances against the Patriots and Jets, before sitting out in the final game of the season. Still, at his best, Allen has been undeniable this season with great games and highlight plays. It is one of the closest MVP races in recent memory.
Lamar Jackson in the Playoffs

Even though the MVP is a regular season award, the playoffs still hold significant power. If Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen win the MVP and then underperform on the most important stage, fan opinions could shift negatively. Jackson will face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round. While the Steelers enter on a four-game losing streak, Mike Tomlin’s defense has always given Lamar Jackson and the Ravens problems. It seems like whenever the division rivals face off, there’s some bizarre play, like a fumble or interception that completely changes things. With Jackson’s past playoff struggles, this game could be a tipping point in the MVP Race beyond the All-Pro teams.