Is Lamar Jackson the leading dual-threat quarterback in the NFL?
In the last 5 seasons, fourteen quarterbacks have finished in the top 50 for their rushing and passing totals, but only one did so each season, and in every season of his career.
When we think of dual-threat or mobile quarterbacks in the NFL, we think of players who can run and pass. Players who are rarely seen behind their offensive lines, taking the snap only to immediately roll out to either side in search of an open target or an open lane. The first names that come to mind are many of the newer-generation quarterbacks, with some of the earliest being Randall Cunningham and Michael Vick in the 1990s, to athletes like Jalen Hurts or Kyler Murray. Among all the players to take on the role of a dual-threat quarterback, one stands alone as the only true passing and rushing weapon: Lamar Jackson.
Jackson entered the league in 2018, drafted from the University of Louisville with the 32nd pick in the first round. A quarterback is always the center of the offense, but Jackson was more than just the captain at Louisville: he did everything. After a slow start in his first season, Jackson passed for over 3,500 yards and rushed for over 1,500 in his junior and senior years. Couple that with his 234 credited points rushing in both seasons and 57 passing touchdowns, and it is easy to see how he made the most significant contribution to the team. Selected behind four other quarterbacks, including Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield, there was much promise for a talented runner and passer in a league that was rapidly pushing towards a new kind of offense.
Yet, during his rookie season, while splitting snaps with veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, fans and critics were quick to point out his struggles in passing. Jackson was faced with a stigma that many quarterbacks still face today: that a quarterback who leaves the pocket too often doesn’t pass as much or as effectively, meaning they’re not playing the position right. At the time, the league and its fanbase were expecting the pocket-passer formula: a tall, heavier player who could throw the ball as far or short as needed, relying on his offensive line to give him time to work through his reads. Players excelling in speed and agility, such as Jackson, would play positions like running back or wide receiver and be elusive weapons for the offensive captain. While there were a few success stories of mobile quarterbacks before Jackson entered the league, there were also many shortcomings, and no team wanted to take that risk. After a good performance in the 2019 season opener against the Dolphins, where Jackson passed for 324 yards and five touchdowns, he joked about fans’ criticism, mockingly saying, “Not bad for a running back,” as many fans were quick to title him following his difficulties with passing in his first season.
Today, Lamar Jackson has completely shed any previous notions of poor passing ability or being unfit for the modern NFL. With two MVP awards and a 6th-place finish in passing yards this past season, it is clear that he is a top-5 quarterback in the NFL, contending with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow. Jackson is not the only quarterback considered to be a mobile passer in today’s league. Many starting quarterbacks, including Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, and others, show resemblance to Jackson’s ability to make plays without throwing, and others that are often viewed as more of pocket-passers, such as Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers, have tried to match their pace by becoming more active outside the pocket. Yet, there are a few key factors that make Lamar Jackson the clear frontrunner in the dual-threat field.
To consider a quarterback “dual-threat,” they must be able to play at the highest level in terms of passing and rushing. Plenty of quarterbacks will scramble every once in a while to escape pressure baring down on them, but most do it out of necessity, whereas players like Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and others make it another option on every play that defenses must prepare for.
First, let’s look at Lamar Jackson’s performances from 2019 to now and how these performances led to his team’s success. Averaging out all 7 seasons he has played thus far, Jackson averaged a 64.9% completion percentage, 3311 passing yards per game and 27 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions per season. These passing stats placed him in the top 25 quarterbacks every year outside of his rookie season, earning him a spot among the best quarterbacks in the league. In the rushing game, he averaged 1019 yards on 167 attempts. Those numbers alone would make him an excellent running back, as some of the best recent running backs like Nick Chubb or Saquon Barkley average similar numbers.
The thing that sets Jackson apart from other dual-threat quarterbacks is this duality: that he’s extremely successful in both halves. This excellence in multiple facets of the game is not really seen in any other quarterback currently. Patrick Mahomes is likely the best overall quarterback in the league. Between his NFL and Super Bowl MVPs and victories, along with stellar statistics, he is likely on the road to the discussion for greatest of all time. Yet, while his 4911 yards and 37 touchdowns per season are superb, his rushing lacks, and least in comparison to Jackson. Mahomes averages just 340 yards and 2 touchdowns on 66 attempts. The attempts are the key point to note here. Mahomes can scramble when needed, but his low attempt count demonstrate that it is not a main part of his play style, so he would not be considered dual-threat.
Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts are better examples of quarterbacks whose scrambling ability is one of their key talents. They averaged 626 yards on 104 attempts and 692 yards on 149 attempts, respectively. These numbers are on the lower side for rushers, and don’t come anywhere close to Jackson’s averages. In these cases, however, we see a similar rushing attempt count compared to Jackson. On just 18 more attempts rushing, Jackson averaged hundreds more yards, demonstrating his superiority in quarterback rushing.
Overall, Lamar Jackson has consistently stood above all other mobile quarterbacks. His excellent rushing and passing stats show a dual-threat that teams are forced to plan around, unlike many other players who lack in one half or the other.
2024 QB rushing + passing stats:
Lamar Jackson - 915 (20th); 4172, 41 (6th)
Jayden Daniels - 891 (23rd); 3568, 25 (16th)
Jalen Hurts - 630 (33rd); 2903, 18 (20th)
Kyler Murray - 572 (36th); 3851, 21 (11th)
Josh Allen - 531 (41st); 3731, 28 (14th)
Anthony Richardson - 499 (45th); 1814, 8 (33rd)
Caleb Williams - 489 (47th); 3541, 20 (17th)
2023 QB rushing + passing stats:
Lamar Jackson - 821 (22nd); 3678, 24 (15th)
Justin Fields - 657 (35th); 2562, 16 (22nd)
Jalen Hurts - 605 (42nd); 3858, 23 (14th)
Josh Allen - 524 (43rd); 4306, 29 (4th)
Joshua Dobbs - 421 (50th); 2464, 13 (23rd)
2022 QB rushing + passing stats
Justin Fields - 1143 (7th); 2242, 17 (26th)
Lamar Jackson - 764 (33rd); 2242, 17 (27th)
Josh Allen - 762 (34th); 4283, 35 (7th)
Jalen Hurts - 760 (36th); 3701, 22 (10th)
Daniel Jones - 708 (38th); 3205, 15 (15th)
Taysom Hill - 575 (41st); 240, 2 (60th)
2021 QB rushing + passing stats
Jalen Hurts - 784 (22nd); 3144, 16 (21st)
Lamar Jackson - 767 (24th); 2882, 16 (25th)
Josh Allen - 763 (25th); 4407, 36 (8th)
2020 QB rushing + passing stats
Lamar Jackson - 1005 (9th); 2757, 26 (22nd)
Kyler Murray - 819 (17th); 3971, 26 (13th)
Cam Newton - 592 (36th); 2657, 8 (24th)
Russell Wilson - 513 (41st); 4212, 40 (9th)
Taysom Hill - 457 (46th); 928, 4 (40th)
Deshaun Watson - 444 (49th); 4823, 33 (1st)
Lamar Jackson: 2019: 1206 (6th); 3127, 36 (22nd) – 2018: 695 (27th); 1201, 6 (37th)
Overall stat: 14 QBs have been in the top 50 for rushing and passing in the last 5 seasons, with only Lamar Jackson doing so each season