American · Pompano Beach, Florida · Born 7 January 1997Baltimore Ravens quarterback and two-time NFL MVP who holds the single-season rushing record for a quarterback.
Who is the youngest Heisman Trophy winner in the award's history? Lamar Jackson, who won it at the University of Louisville at 19. Baltimore still let him fall to the last pick of the first round in 2018, a slide widely attributed to skepticism that his game would translate to NFL quarterback play. Born Lamar Demeatrice Jackson Jr in Pompano Beach, Florida, in 1997, he has since won two NFL MVP awards and rewritten the quarterback rushing record book. His 2019 MVP was unanimous, the first unanimous MVP since Cam Newton in 2015, and his 2023 MVP arrived four years later. He set the NFL single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 1,206 in 2019, and holds the career record too. His combination of elite arm talent — capable of throwing the deep ball with accuracy and velocity — and elite rushing ability has made him genuinely uncontainable. He is the fastest player to reach 100 career touchdown passes and 30 career rushing touchdowns simultaneously. He was named to five Pro Bowls. His 2019 season — 36 passing touchdowns, 7 rushing touchdowns and 6 interceptions — still ranks near the top of NFL efficiency-metric leaderboards for a quarterback, regardless of era. His dual-threat ability has forced defensive coordinators to completely redesign his game planning.
Ravens QB, 2x NFL MVP
How They Played
Electric dual-threat quarterback with elite speed, elusiveness, and arm strength who can beat defenses running or passing
Lasting Impact
Transformed modern quarterback position by proving elite rushing ability could coexist with passing excellence at highest level
Career Honours
- 2x NFL MVP (2019, 2023)
- 5x Pro Bowl
- 2x First-team All-Pro
- NFL single-season QB rushing yards record
| Team | Period | Games |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | 2018–2024 | 98 |
American Athletes