Ravens' Lamar Jackson Cracks Top 30 in All-Time QB List

Lamar Jackson still has a long way to go before his legacy is cemented.

At just 29 years old, the Baltimore Ravens' star quarterback already has multiple league MVPs to his name, and his unparalleled dual threat has inspired his front office to go all-in on him more than once. The firing of John Harbaugh and the hiring of his head coaching replacement, Jesse Minter, signified that as proud of their history as the Ravens are, they know that Jackson will have to be heavily prioritized on their next truly contention-worthy roster.

Jackson's only been a part of the NFL for less than a decade, but that's already been enough for him to make a compelling case as one of the all-time great quarterback talents. When Bleacher Report compiled a ranked list of the greatest 99 to ever do it at the marquee position, he outpaced a few of his most noteworthy peers while succumbing to a few legends who already have the one accolade he's still looking for.

They settled on Jackson at No. 28, sandwiched right around a slew of older Hall of Famers in Noam Van Brocklin and Len Dawson, a good sign for what could await the Raven should he continue slinging and scrambling. He was credited for re-defining what it means to be an athletic in-game threat, but the list's compilers had to address the elements of his resume that continue holding him back.

"Despite all the accolades and eye-popping statistics, he has drawn criticism for his underwhelming postseason performances," Bleacher Report's staff wrote. "He did show improvement in his last two outings, throwing for four touchdowns and just one interception and rushing for 120 yards on 21 carries. He completed at least 72 percent of his passes in both games."

How Does Jackson Compare to Modern Contemporaries?

Jackson's most clear-cut rival, Josh Allen, has the same problem. The Buffalo Bills quarterback, too, hasn't been able to get over the hump in advancing to his first Super Bowl appearance, suffering his own series of frustrating defeats at the hands of Patrick Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs.

Still, he's always seemed to get the better of Jackson when it's counted in head to head matchups. His sole AFC Championship Game appearances arrived off of the Ravens' backs, and eight playoff wins is a lot more than Jackson's total of three.

Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson and Buffalo Bills Quarterback Josh Allen — Dec 8, 2019; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) embrace following the game at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Despite his routinely foiling Jackson's Ravens, Allen did not place quite as highly as the 2x MVP, landing at No. 35. Jackson's superior regular season statistics appear to have won out in the end, as tempting as it would have been to make the determination solely off of the most important games of each campaign.

Super Bowl wins weren't weighted as much as some fans may have generally preferred, too; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts didn't come close to either of the MVPs, while the most recent winner, Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks, wasn't even named -- and unsurprisingly so. There's a lot more to the game than the result of a few weeks of work.

Only four active positional peers outpaced Jackson; Russell Wilson, Matthew Stafford, Aaron Rodgers and, of course, Mahomes. They've each hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, with all but Wilson doing so at an MVP level of their own. Those first three aforementioned quarterbacks are among the oldest players in the NFL, while Mahomes, who practically lives to humble Jackson and Allen both, still casts a long shadow over the rest of the league.

Jackson didn't ever see Wilson face-to-face in 2025, as the one-time Seahawks has been resorted to backup status, but his Ravens went 0-4 against everyone else rated above him, thanks in large part to an unfortunate slew of outcomes against Rodgers' Pittsburgh Steelers. Baltimore will have to take the offseason seriously should they look to continue promoting Jackson's all-time arguments, while the quarterback owes it to the franchise and his fans to finally put it all together during in the soonest possible postseason.

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