Michael Vick held the record for most rushing yards by a quarterback for many years, until Baltimore Ravens superstar Lamar Jackson came along.
Jackson, 27, may not run quite as much as he used to, but it was only a matter of time before he broke the record. His record-breaking performance fittingly came on Christmas Day, when he rushed 87 yards and a touchdown on four carries to give him 6,110 yards for his career, one more than Vick. Most impressively, he did it in just 102 career games, 41 fewer than Vick played.
Vick, who recently accepted the head-coaching position at Norfolk State, wasn’t surprised to see Jackson break his record, but is more impressed by the other side of his game.
“He’s playing the game the way he should be playing it — pass first then be running it,” Vick told The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker. “I think he’s a better passer than runner. Lamar’s always been able to run — that’s a natural instinct. The passing game is something you have to learn, and it has to be coordinated with timing and receivers and routes and you got to be on the same page and thinking on the same page.
“He’s accurate, threading the needle, seeing the field. And understanding what the defense is doing supersedes any throw that you can make.”
Indeed, Jackson is having not just the best passing season of his career, but one of the best in recent history. He’s tied for the league lead with 39 passing touchdowns (though he has played one more game than most other quarterbacks), and solely leads the league with 8.9 yards per attempt. His 121.6 passer rating is the second-highest in a season ever, trailing only Aaron Rodgers’ 122.5 in his 2011 MVP season.
After the game, Jackson said Vick was “one of his favorite players” growing up, and the similarities are crystal clear. Vick then reciprocated that apprecation, while also giving props to the Ravens as a whole.
