On the first day of Black History Month, the Baltimore Ravens superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson won the MVP award by unanimous decision.

Lamar Jackson has only been in the NFL for two years and has already won this very prestigious award. Jackson is the second person in NFL history to win MVP unanimously, behind the Patriots Tom Brady back in 2010.

Within his successful 2019-2020 season, Lamar Jackson beat the former NFL record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season, passing star quarterback Michael Vick.

Lamar Jackson’s successful career as a quarterback started in high school. His first two years of high school, he sat on the sidelines for the Santaluces Community High School varsity football team.

Being discouraged from his limited play time, Jackson transferred to Boynton Beach High School in Boynton Beach, Florida, where he dominated at quarterback. He threw for 2,263 yards and 31 touchdowns, ran for 1,624 yards and 22 touchdowns, and accumulated a quarterback rating of 102.7. 

Making a huge name for himself in high school, Lamar Jackson committed to the University of Louisville. His sophomore year, he won the Heisman Trophy (essentially the MVP of college football), Maxwell Award, and the Walter Camp Award. 

Lamar Jackson became the first Louisville Cardinal to ever win the Heisman Trophy, and the youngest ever recipient of the award at just 19 years old.

On January 5, 2018, Jackson announced that he would enter the 2018 NFL Draft. He was selected in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens. In Jackson’s first year, he broke the Baltimore Ravens record for rushing yards in a single game by a quarterback.

After veteran quarterback Joe Flacco’s injury of Jackson’s first year in the NFL, it was his time to shine. In the seven regular season games in which Jackson had started, the Ravens went 6–1 to close out the 2018 season. Overall, he finished with 1,201 passing yards, six passing touchdowns, and three interceptions. In addition, he led all quarterbacks with 695 rushing yards and added five rushing touchdowns.

“What is so spectacular about Lamar Jackson, is how he is dominating the NFL at such a young age”, said Joshua Trabka, a NHS student. “Lamar Jackson is one of the youngest players to ever win the MVP award.

Lamar Jackson embodies the “childhood hero” role for many children in love with the game of football, especially the young boys and girls of Baltimore. According to the Baltimore Sun, before Lamar Jackson was an MVP candidate, he would spend time visiting boys who have been through hard times. 

Although Jackson has been seen giving his fellow teammates rolex watches and money as gifts, he has also donated thousands to local charities in Baltimore, showing the kind of role model he wants to be.

The most fascinating thing about Lamar Jackson’s success in football is what is to come. Lamar Jackson produced an outstanding record for the Ravens this past season as MVP, and is certainly not done being the superior quarterback he has proven to be.