NFL fans were taken aback during Super Bowl week when Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen clinched the MVP award, surpassing First Team All-Pro QB Lamar Jackson. However, the biggest surprise may have been the singular fourth-place vote Jackson received from SiriusXM host Jim Miller. In a contest between two heavily favored contenders, Miller’s ballot was the only one that placed Jackson outside the top two contenders.
This week, on his radio show Movin’ the Chains, Miller elaborated on his decision to prioritize Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley—citing his role in helping the team navigate injuries—and Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow, highlighting Burrow’s critical performances towards the end of the season. “I sleep very good with how I voted,” the former Chicago Bears QB remarked to the New York Post. “Even if I voted for Lamar, Josh still would’ve won it.”
Miller’s assertion stands true, as switching Jackson from fourth to second wouldn’t have changed the outcome in Allen’s favor. Interestingly, another voter placed Allen outside the top two; Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reporter Tom Silverstein voted for Burrow as the second choice over the eventual MVP winner. The overall contest was closely fought, with Allen gathering 383 total voting points in comparison to 362 for Jackson.
Before Jackson was named a First Team All-Pro earlier in the offseason, many presumed he was on track to secure his second consecutive MVP and third overall. Such expectations sparked a whirlwind of discussions among NFL media regarding Jackson’s legitimacy as the MVP and how the vote might influence his legacy as well as the award’s significance. Ultimately, the more traditional narrative prevailed, leading to Allen’s first MVP win.
