Lamar Jackson dislikes Patrick Mahomes comparison but wishes they shared one attribute
The last two NFL MVPs are quarterbacks under the age of 25 who play in the AFC.
That combination of age and league proximity has never happened in the history of the MVP award, which was first handed out in 1957. So is it any surprise that comparisons between the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes (the 2018 MVP winner) and the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson (the 2019 winner) are routinely made?
There’s this, too: Mahomes helped the Chiefs to the top seed in the AFC playoff field in 2018 and was on the cover of the Madden video game a few months later. Last season, the Ravens were the No. 1 seed in the postseason and now Jackson is on the Madden cover.
But in an interview this week with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks, Jackson said he didn’t like the comparison to Mahomes.
“Yeah that’s annoying,” Jackson said. “We play football. Two different teams. Ain’t got nothing to do with each other. Like, we just play football. That’s it.”
Rooks asked if there was one aspect of Mahomes’ game Jackson would like to replicate.
“None,” Jackson said emphatically. “I ain’t trying to be him. I’m my own player.”
Rooks began to ask another question when Jackson interjected.
“No, I’m lying,” Jackson said. “To throw as far as him. I want that cannon. He got a cannon arm. I’d take that cannon.”
Who wouldn’t want to throw a football as far as Mahomes even just once?
Chiefs fans likely remember Mahomes tried his best Jackson juke move during last season’s win over the Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium. So maybe they’d each like to have on attribute of the other’s game.
Here is Jackson’s chat with Rooks:
