This year’s NFL MVP race has been one for the ages. The two men at the forefront of this contention are Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen from the Buffalo Bills. Despite both playing the same position, Jackson has historically been better if we go just by stats. After all, he is already a 2x MVP and is currently in one of the best seasons of his career. He has led the Ravens to an AFC best of 13-4. In the process, he has notched up 41 touchdowns, 4,172 yards, and 4 interceptions.

His 119.6 passer rating, which is also the highest in the league, just goes on to show how consistent he has been. He was the engine of the Ravens’ dominant offense. But Josh Allen has not been too shabby either. The Californian racked up 28 touchdowns and 6 interceptions while covering 3,731 yards in 17 regular-season games. While Lamar edged him out on the takedowns, Allen managed to have more interceptions despite running fewer yards.

Despite that, when the MVP votes were counted, Allen edged him out. The Bills quarterback secured 27 first-place votes to Jackson’s 23, finishing with 383 points to Jackson’s 362. It was one of the closest MVP races in recent history. Moreover, the result left many fans questioning the outcome. And that list of fans also includes Olympic gold medalist and young track phenom Quincy Wilson!

Quincy Wilson left in frustration as favorite falls short in NFL MVP race

For many, Jackson’s loss didn’t sit right. The last time an NFL MVP wasn’t the first-team All-Pro quarterback was in 1987. Back then, John Elway won over Joe Montana. The precedent made it even more shocking that Jackson (who was named first-team All-Pro over Allen) missed out. Even more puzzling was that one voter placed Jackson fourth on their ballot, an outlier that may have cost him the award. And this left-track sensation, 17-year-old Quincy Wilson, stunned too.

Wilson has been a die-hard Ravens supporter since childhood. And after becoming aware of the recent NFL update, the sprint sensation wasted no time to voice his frustration. Quincy posted on X, “SMH #Lamar4L #FlockNation #DMV.” Adding fuel to the fire was the fact that Jackson had received glowing praise from NFL legends throughout the season. 

Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion, had openly commended Jackson’s leadership and game-changing ability. Jackson also had the strongest efficiency numbers of any quarterback in the league, yet still fell short. And the rising frustration among Ravens fans was amplified by the broader context of Jackson’s career. 

In 2019, he was named unanimous MVP, only the second player in history to receive every first-place vote. In 2023, he came within one vote of repeating the feat. Now, despite arguably his most complete season yet, he had to settle for second. Quincy Wilson, who knows what it’s like to compete at the highest level, was just one of many fans who felt Jackson was robbed. 

The 17-year-old Olympic champion has been spotted at the Ravens games, fully immersed in Baltimore’s football culture. His reaction mirrored that of countless Ravens supporters who saw Jackson’s season as MVP-worthy.

While Allen had an impressive season, leading Buffalo to an AFC East title and throwing for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns, many believe Jackson had the stronger case. In the end, the result is set in stone, but the debate isn’t going away anytime soon. And for Wilson, Jackson, and Ravens fans, it’s just another chip on the shoulder heading into next season.