Former NFL QB Jim Miller explains controversial Lamar Jackson MVP vote snub

Former NFL quarterback Jim Miller is opening up on his decision regarding Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in the recent voting for the league MVP. Miller was the only one out of 50 total voters who did not have Jackson in his top two votes, putting Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and Benagls quarterback Joe Burrow ahead of him.

Allen would go on to win the award, receiving 27 first place votes compared to Jackson’s 23. Still, Miller being the only voter he didn’t have the Ravens star at least in second raised some eyebrows, and he addressed it.

“A lot of people loved Lamar,” Miller said on his radio show. “Certainly I voted a certain way. A lot of people didn’t like their take on that. And I had my five. …I sleep very good with how I voted. A lot of people didn’t like it because Lamar is quite a player. Even if I voted for Lamar, Josh still would’ve won it.”

It’s true that Miller’s vote did not actually have an impact on the outcome, as Allen would have won no matter how he voted. Still, many were shocked at the decision especially considering the season that Jackson had.

The Baltimore QB threw for a career-high 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns to a mere four interceptions. Additionally, he rushed for another 915 yards, the most of any quarterback, and another four scores.

Despite all of Jackson’s numbers being significantly better than Allen’s, the latter won, presumably because he made the AFC title game and beat Jackson to do so. Lamar Jackson had also won the MVP award twice before, including for the 2023 season, so perhaps voter fatigue also played a factor.

Either way, nobody went as far as Miller did, but it should be noted that Burrow did lead the league in passing yards (4,918) and passing touchdowns (43). Additionally, Barkley’s team is in the Super Bowl and he is a big reason why they have reached than game, with a career-best 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Certainly their are plenty of good reasons for Miller to have voted the way he did, and majority doesn’t always mean correct. But his vote obviously struck a chord with the general public and now we at least have somewhat of a explanation for it.