The Baltimore Ravens will face the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, which means Lamar Jackson will go head-to-head with Josh Allen, the winner of last season’s MVP award. The matchup is not only compelling because of the star power on the field, but also because it pits the two favorites for the league’s most prestigious individual honor against each other.
Lamar Jackson seemed ready to repeat his MVP triumph after a stellar 2023, but he was surprised by a vote that handed the crown to Allen. The Ravens quarterback had been named First-Team All-Pro by the same voters who ultimately chose the Bills star as the league’s Most Valuable Player.
Jackson accepted the outcome, though his remarks made it clear that the 28-year-old veteran found the decision hard to understand. Far from adding fuel to the fire or stirring controversy, when asked about the situation, it was the Ravens quarterback himself who offered a blunt admission regarding the vote.
What did Jackson say about Allen’s MVP?
“The voters chose who they wanted to pick. It is what it is. It is what it is,” Jackson admitted on the Ravens’ official website, offering a terse reaction to the final decision that awarded last season’s MVP trophy to his Week 1 rival.
An unprecedented outcome and a close vote
The voting sparked outrage among Ravens fans and Jackson supporters. He earned a strong majority with 30 of the 50 first-team All-Pro votes, while Allen received only 18. It marked the first time since 1987 that the league’s MVP was not also named a First-Team All-Pro.
In the MVP race itself, Allen received 27 votes to Jackson’s 23 in a tight decision that went in favor of the Bills’ star. The narrow margin was mirrored in the Divisional Round, when the Ravens fell to the Bills 27-25, ending their Super Bowl hopes.
Jackson’s numbers in the 2024 NFL season
Jackson put together one of the finest seasons for a quarterback in league history. Statistically, his performance outshined Allen’s. The Ravens quarterback threw for more yards (4,172 to 3,731), more touchdowns (41 to 28), fewer interceptions (four to six), and rushed for more yards (915 to 531) than his Bills counterpart.