Skip Bayless makes eye-opening comments on Lamar Jackson ahead of NFL playoffs - "I don't want him to win MVP again"

Lamar Jackson is hoping for the third MVP award of his career, having first won it in 2019 for record-breaking performances and in 2023. But Skip Bayless wants him to be something greater than that in 2024: a champion.

Speaking Tuesday on his eponymous podcast, the veteran journalist and sportscaster said:

"I can make a strong case that Lamar Jackson deserves MVP , but I don't want him to win again. I want him to win the AFC Championship Game. I wouldn't mind it if he won his first Super Bowl. But no MVP when, unfortunately, Lamar is just 2-4 in the playoffs. He (has) six touchdowns to six interceptions in the playoffs, with three lost fumbles."

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Lamar Jackson identifies reason for playoff woes

The aforementioned playoff struggles have served as a knock against Lamar Jackson throughout his career. In both seasons when he was MVP, his Baltimore Ravens were the top seed (14-2, then 13-4), only to miss the Super Bowl.

Speaking to reporters during practice on Tuesday, he found a reason for them and how he has adjusted since then:

"I'd just be too excited. That's all. Too antsy. I'm seeing things before it happened, like, 'Oh, I got to calm myself down.' But just being more experienced, I've found a way to balance it out."

He continued by vowing to avoid any mistakes against the Pittsburgh Steelers, against whom the team split the regular-season series:

"The game's won with the turnover battle and keeping the ball in your control, moving the ball down the field, getting first downs, putting points on the ball. Obviously, that's how you win those games."

Another topic that came during media availability was the predicted climate on gameday. According to Jackson, who was raised in warm and sunny Southern Florida, he would rather it not be cold, but he would be prepared regardless.

He has still not decided on whether he will be wearing sleeves, though:

"It probably depends on how cold it is. I feel like I've been doing pretty good with how I've been playing without them."

The Ravens-Steelers game will kick off at 8 PM ET on Amazon Prime - the first-ever NFL playoff game to air on the streaming platform. Residents of the respective teams' markets may also watch it on WMAR and WPXI.