Lamar Jackson on facing Patrick Mahomes in AFC championship game: 'I don't like competing against him at all'

The Ravens' Jackson has nothing but respect for the Chiefs' signal-caller

Lamar Jackson has no ill will toward Patrick Mahomes, the opposing quarterback in Sunday's AFC championship game. Jackson does not, however, enjoying sharing a field with Mahomes, who is one win away from making his fourth start on pro football's biggest stage as his third-seeded Kansas City Chiefs visit the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens. 

"I don't like competing against him at all," Jackson said of Mahomes, via The Athletic. "He's definitely a great QB. Definitely a Hall of Famer. That's a no brainer."

Jackson's praise of Mahomes is accurate. Despite being only in his seventh season (and sixth as a starter), Mahomes' career is already good enough to one day be immortalized in Canton, Ohio. He's already one of just three players in NFL history (Joe Montana and Tom Brady being the other two) with multiple league and Super Bowl MVP awards. Mahomes is two wins away from joining Montana, Brady, Terry Bradshaw and Troy Aikman as the only starting quarterbacks to win at least three Super Bowls. 

Mahomes may already be on his way to Canton, but Jackson isn't too far off, either. He is, after all, in line to likely win his second league MVP after leading Baltimore to the AFC's top seed during the regular season. Jackson's list of bona fides also includes a league passing title and the most rushing yards in one season by a quarterback. Both of those records were set during his first MVP campaign (2019). 

Jackson can further solidify his place in history by getting to his first Super Bowl, which he will try to do Sunday at Mahomes' expense.