FRISCO, Texas -- NFL MVP discourse is all the rage now that the NFL regular season is in its final two weeks, and Dallas Cowboys three-time All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons would like to weigh in on his favorite. He'd also like to critique the mindset attached to the way people perceive the award.
His 2024 NFL MVP favorite, on Thursday of Week 17, is Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Despite leading the NFL in numerous key statistics, Jackson only has the second-best odds (+155), according to DraftKings Sportsbook, trailing Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (-200). If the 2024 season ended today, Jackson's 121.6 passer rating would rank as the second-best in a single season in NFL history, trailing only then-Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers' 122.5 passer rating set in 2011, the first of his four NFL MVP seasons.
Jackson did win the 2023 NFL MVP award, his second, over Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott last season despite throwing 12 fewer touchdowns than Prescott's league-leading 36. Last season, Jackson won on the strength of the Ravens' 13-4 record, which was bolstered by a defense that was the NFL's first ever to lead or co-lead the league in scoring defense (16.5 points per game allowed), sacks (60) and takeaways (31) in the same season.
"It's a quarterback award, so it's probably going to be Lamar [Jackson]. If it wasn't for team success, it should be Joe Burrow, but Lamar is going to win. I think Lamar should win," Parsons said. "What he's doing right now, it'll be a shame if he doesn't win. They basically are saying he shouldn't have won last year, but he won, so he shouldn't win this year even though he got the numbers to win. I think the writers be a little, the people who get to vote are a little backward sometimes. Lamar should be MVP for sure."
Jackson leads the NFL in touchdown-to-interception ratio (39-4), pass yards per attempt (8.9) and passer rating (121.5) while co-leading the league in passing touchdowns (39) with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who also leads the NFL in passing yards (4,229).
| Lamar Jackson this season | NFL QB rank | |
|---|---|---|
Pass TD-INT | 39-4 | 1st |
| Pass TD | 39 | T-1st |
Passing yards | 3,955 | 4th |
Pass yards/attempt | 8.9 | 1st |
Rushing yards | 852 | 1st |
Yards/carry | 6.6 | 1st |
Passer rating | 121.6 | 1st |
Burrow, who was Parsons' NFL MVP pick back in Week 14, is fighting to stave off elimination from postseason contention due to his team's 7-8 record and 28th-ranked scoring defense and 28th-ranked total defense.
"You see what Joe Burrow's going through, and kind of what Lamar won his MVP last year," Parsons said. "[Jackson's] defense was a triple crown [winner]. They had a great record, and they went to the playoffs. ... Lamar was labeled MVP even though he didn't have the numbers. Now, you go to Joe Burrow, who has the best numbers out of anybody, but he doesn't have a Triple Crown defense. He has a bottom of the league defense, respectfully, not to kill the Bengals fans. They're just not ranked high, and they give up a lot of yards. And they lost games when their offense is averaging 30 points a game."
Parsons, who leads the NFL in sacks (8.5) and quarterback pressures (42) since his return from a high ankle sprain in Week 10, would also like to see other positions celebrated for winning football games, which is why he one day would appreciate seeing a non-quarterback win. A quarterback has won the award every season since 2013, with Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson in 2012 being the last non-quarterback to hoist the trophy.
"There's more factors than just QBs when it comes to winning football games," Parsons said. "Now, when it comes to turnovers and the cost and effects, those are more (impactful), but some of those aren't even turnover-worthy plays. Sometimes the wide receiver gives up on the route, or the wide receiver drops it. So, I mean it's more than just a QB award, but QBs do have a good factor. If your quarterback is balling, you'll have a great chance to win a game. I don't think a QB is a team because we're out our quarterback (Prescott), and we're still able to have success (with wins in four of the last five games). Like that goes into the O-line, that goes into the defense, that goes to the special teams. It takes everything to win football games."
