When discussing Lamar Jackson, the conversation often circles around one question: Is he great or just a regular-season star? It’s time to face the facts and dive into the numbers because if we call Lamar Jackson an all-time great quarterback, he has to win when it matters most: in the playoffs.

The Playoff Picture: Where Does Lamar Stand?

Since entering the league in 2018, Lamar Jackson has been a force in the regular season. He’s a two-time NFL MVP, winning his first MVP unanimously in 2019, a two-time Pro Bowler, and arguably the greatest dual-threat quarterback the NFL has ever seen. However, when the calendar flips to January, the story of Lamar Jackson changes.

Lamar Jackson is 3-5 in the postseason. While he’s proven he can get his team to the playoffs, his inability to string together deep postseason runs is glaring, especially compared to his peers. During that same period, Jackson’s peers outperformed him considerably:

• Patrick Mahomes: 15-2 in the postseason, three-time Super Bowl champion, and undeniably the gold standard of clutch quarterbacks in this era.
• Josh Allen: 7-5 in the playoffs, with two AFC Championship Game appearances and consistent postseason performances.
• Joe Burrow: 5-2 in the playoffs, with a Super Bowl appearance under his belt.
• Jalen Hurts: 4-3 in the postseason, with one Super Bowl appearance and potentially another on the way.

Lamar Jackson is the only top-five quarterback in the NFL with a losing playoff record, and three of his five playoff losses have been to Mahomes in the 2024 AFC Championship Game and Allen twice in the 2021 and 2025 AFC Divisional Rounds. If Jackson wants to right the ship and dead this narrative of playoff struggles, there is considerable ground for him to make up, and winning against his peers when it matters most would undoubtedly help turn that tide.

Regular-Season Excellence Isn’t Enough

There’s no denying Lamar Jackson’s brilliance during the regular season. In his first MVP campaign, he threw 36 touchdown passes, rushed for over 1,200 yards, and led the Ravens to a league-best record of 14-2. This season, Jackson became the first quarterback in NFL history to log at least 4,000 passing yards and 800 rushing yards in a single season. As great as these feats look on Lamar’s regular season résumé, his postseason résumé pales in comparison, adding more fuel to the fire of his critics.

Critics argue that Lamar’s style of play may not translate well to the postseason, and despite the great strides he has made as a passer throughout his career, the numbers support that claim. In Lamar’s 94 regular season starts, he’s turned the ball over at least twice 14 times, which is just shy of 15% of his regular season games. Meanwhile, in the playoffs, Jackson has committed multiple turnovers in four of his eight playoff starts. Based on the numbers, Lamar is more than three times more likely to commit numerous turnovers in the postseason compared to the regular season. In the playoffs, where defenses are tighter, game plans are more focused, and the margins for error are razor-thin, that is not a recipe for success.

What Needs to Change?

For Lamar Jackson to advance his career and silence his critics, several key factors must come into play:

Consistency Under Pressure: Jackson needs to enhance his performance in critical moments. Elite quarterbacks maintain their regular-season level during the playoffs and often elevate their game. Lamar’s ability to protect the football and make things happen in the regular season has to translate to the postseason for him to start winning these meaningful games.

Team Support: While Lamar is largely responsible for Baltimore’s postseason struggles, we can’t ignore his teammates’ struggles in these big-time games. Zay Flowers’ costly fumble in last year’s AFC Championship Game and Mark Andrews’s other costly fumble and dropped pass on a game-tying two-point conversion also played a pivotal role in the Ravens’ heartbreaking losses over the last few seasons.

Health and Durability: Jackson’s injuries have been a recurring issue, causing him to miss crucial games. Maintaining his health throughout the regular and postseason is vital for him to lead his team deep into January. While this has not been an issue over the last two seasons for Lamar, there have been seasons past where Lamar’s unavailability due to injury has led to the Ravens not being able to truly compete in the gauntlet that is the AFC playoff picture.

Is the Criticism Fair?

Lamar Jackson faces criticism primarily due to his postseason performance. Excelling in the regular season is impressive, but being regarded as an all-time great necessitates success in critical playoff moments. While Lamar’s talent and potential are undeniable, until he puts it all together in January, the criticisms will only continue to grow while the questions continue to linger.

Final Thoughts

Lamar Jackson’s journey is far from finished. At just 28 years old, he has ample opportunity to reshape his postseason narrative. However, until he does, the question remains: Is he truly an all-time great quarterback worthy, or is he merely a regular-season phenomenon?

If you’re a Ravens fan or a football enthusiast, there is good news: Peyton Manning was 30 years old when he won his first Super Bowl in 2007. However, if we’re going to draw comparisons between Manning and Jackson, we must not forget that the narrative we are seeing now as it relates to Lamar and his postseason struggles is the same narrative that existed for Peyton and his.

Whether you root for Lamar or not, there is no denying his superstardom and greatness in the regular season. The cement is not yet dry on Lamar Jackson’s legacy. There is still time to change the narrative. However, if you are a fan of Lamar Jackson, one can only hope he can right the ship and hoist the Lombardi before his career ends. If not, we may have a different debate in 10 to 15 years: who is the greatest quarterback never to win a Super Bowl: Lamar Jackson or Dan Marino?