Call him a running back. Call him "quarterbacky." Call him whatever you want.
The numbers call Lamar Jackson elite.
The Ravens quarterback has been plenty scrutinized over his time in the NFL. Despite winning an MVP in 2019 and likely taking a second home in '23, the critics have been loud when it comes to dissecting Jackson's game.
Sure, he is far from your typical pocket passer, but that doesn't matter. The game of football has changed, and Super Bowl-contending teams don't need a gunslinger who shies away from scrambling out from pressure. Jackson's threat to both carve up a defense with his legs and his arms has made Baltimore a difficult out, especially this season.
Once again, Jackson was dominant with his legs. While the new-look Ravens offense featured more passing with an upgraded wide receiver room that includes rookie Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr., the quarterback still went to his calling card often, using his speed and shiftiness to avoid defenders left and right with his legs.
The result? Not only did Jackson help lead Baltimore to the top spot in the AFC, but he also put himself even further in the NFL history books.
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Here is a look at how Jackson's 2023 rushing stats compare to the best in league history.
Lamar Jackson 2023 rushing stats
There was no quarterback as effective in the run game as Jackson was in 2023.
The Ravens franchise QB found himself near the top of the QB rushing leaderboard in several categories. He led the league in rush yards per game and rushing yards among all quarterbacks.
Here is a look at Jackson's rushing stats for 2023 and where they rank among the rest of the NFL.
| Category | Stat | 2023 rank |
| Rushing yards | 821 | 1st |
| Rushing attempts | 148 | 2nd |
| Rushing TDs | 5 | T-4th |
| Yards per carry | 5.5 | 3rd |
| Rushing yards per game | 51.3 | 1st |
Most QB rushing yards in a single season
Jackson's 2023 rushing output was efficient enough to put him in the top 10 list for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season.
The only problem? It wasn't even the Ravens QB's best season on the ground, nor was it his second best.
The dual-threat quarterback set the single-season record for most rushing yards by a player at his position in 2019, becoming the first quarterback ever to run for more than 1,200 yards in his 2019 MVP year when he put up 1,206.
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Jackson hit the 1,000-yard threshold again a year later, compiling 1,005 rushing yards during the 2020 season. In total, only three quarterbacks have ever hit triple digits for rushing yards in a single season — Jackson (twice), Justin Fields, and Michael Vick.
Here is a look at the most rushing yards in a single season by a quarterback:
| Rank | QB | Season | Team | Rushing Yards |
| No. 1 | Lamar Jackson | 2019 | Baltimore Ravens | 1,206 |
| No. 2 | Justin Fields | 2022 | Chicago Bears | 1,143 |
| No. 3 | Michael Vick | 2006 | Atlanta Falcons | 1,039 |
| No. 4 | Lamar Jackson | 2020 | Baltimore Ravens | 1,005 |
| No. 5 | Bobby Douglass | 1972 | Chicago Bears | 968 |
| No. 6 | Randall Cunningham | 1990 | Philadelphia Eagles | 942 |
| No. 7 | Michael Vick | 2004 | Atlanta Falcons | 902 |
| No. 8 | Russell Wilson | 2014 | Seattle Seahawks | 849 |
| No. 9 | Lamar Jackson | 2023 | Baltimore Ravens | 821 |
| No. 10 | Kyler Murray | 2020 | Arizona Cardinals | 819 |