NFL

NFL MVP Jackson not using outside criticism as motivation

By Sports Desk August 21, 2024

Lamar Jackson is not using outside criticism as motivation as he looks to go one step further in 2024 and lead the Baltimore Ravens to the Super Bowl.

Jackson was named NFL MVP for the second time in the 2023 season, having previously claimed the award in 2019.

He recorded career-high figures for passes attempted (457), completed (307) and passing yards (3,678), also throwing for 24 touchdowns and totalling 821 rushing yards.

However, he was unable to lead Baltimore to Super Bowl LVIII as John Harbaugh's team were beaten by the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.

Jackson was criticised for his performance in that contest and has a 2-4 postseason record, but he is shutting out any noise surrounding his big-game displays ahead of the new season.

"I mean, I'm motivating myself because I know what I want to do, at the end of the day," he told reporters.

"Those guys have their time. I really don't care what the criticism is or what the critics say because at the end of the day, I just came off a season-ending injury the year before and we made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game in a new system. 

"So, it's nothing to be down on myself, my team-mates or anything like that because we made it far, further than other years. We haven't been to the AFC in a long time…

"We've just got to keep going. We criticise ourselves more than anyone else. So, what people say on the outside, that's just their take. 

"They can believe what they want to believe, but we know what we want, we know what we're striving for."

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