Mike Tomlin shuts down Jayden Daniels – Lamar Jackson comparisons

The Super Bowl-winning head coach doesn’t believe just anyone should be compared the reigning league MVP.

Anytime a new young dual-threat quarterback entered the league as a first-round pick before 2018, especially if they were African American, the most common player they were compared to was Michael Vick. The four-time Pro Bowler was an icon who inspired an entire generation of young football players who look like him to aspire to follow his lead and play the position that was historically not reserved or encouraged for them to pursue.

However, since his ascension to full-fledged stardom at the professional level, Baltimore Ravens franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson is the star signal caller who all the talented up-and-comers regularly get compared to and aim to emulate.

There have been far-too-early comparisons made between Jackson, who is the current clear-cut frontrunner to earn a third MVP honor, and Washington Commanders’ rookie quarterback sensation Jayden Daniels, who is the odds-on favorite to be named Offensive Rookie of the Year. Both players possess electrifying playmaking ability with their arms and legs, won the Heisman Trophy in college and went on to be first-round picks in their respective classes.

Some national media pundits have been bold enough to suggest that Daniels and Jackson are close to the same level and believe the rookie warrants the same if not more consideration in the MVP race. When asked if he sees any similarities and differences between the two after his team narrowly defeated the Commanders 28-27 on the road, Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters they need to essentially pump their breaks when comparing the two.

“Man, be real slow comparing people to Lamar Jackson,” Tomlin said Sunday. “That’s a multi-time MVP. That’s Mr. Jackson. We’ll see Mr. Jackson in a few days.”

This level of candid commentary is not uncommon for the 17th-year head coach who has never had a losing season in his nearly two decades at the helm of the historic franchise. The two-time Super Bowl participant and one-time winner has to face the Ravens twice a year as a member of the AFC North division and while his teams have fared well against Jackson-led squads with a 3-1 record, those victories have never come easy and often go down to the wire with a single score usually being the deciding factor.

The Ravens and Steelers will face off for the first time this season in Week 11 next Sunday in Pittsburgh. Tomlin will spend the week coaching up his stingy defense and new-look offense that has been elevated since inserting Russell Wilson under center on how to go blow for blow with the most prolific offense in the league led by its most unstoppable player.

While Daniels is off to a sensational start to his promising young career, Jackson is just now entering his prime and is playing at an unfathomable level, unlike anything the NFL has ever seen in its 100-plus-year history. Tomlin was right not to mince his words and show the proper respect a player of Jackson’s talent, proven pedigree and current elite level of play deserves because as an overconfident elderly woman in Cincinnati found out the hard way earlier this season, he is the last person anyone on or rooting for an opposing team needs to give additional motivation or bulletin board material to ahead of a playing him.