Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes Praises Lamar Jackson: 'Going to Be the MVP for a Reason'

Ahead of their first head-to-head playoff matchup in the AFC Championship Game, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was full of praise for Lamar Jackson.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Mahomes said the Baltimore Ravens star is "going to be the MVP for a reason."

Jackson is the overwhelming favorite to win the NFL MVP award for the second time in his career. The 27-year-old led the Ravens to a league-best 13-4 record during the regular season. He threw for 3,678 yards, 24 touchdowns and a 67.2 completion percentage, while also running for 821 yards and five touchdowns in 16 games.

Sunday's showdown between the Chiefs and Ravens will be the first meeting between two quarterbacks in the AFC Championship Game who had won at least one MVP award when the game was played since the 2015 season when Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos defeated Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Mahomes and the Chiefs hosted Brady's Patriots in the 2018 AFC title game, but Mahomes wasn't officially named MVP until after the game was played.

The Ravens will look to become just the third AFC team to defeat Mahomes in the playoffs. He previously lost to the Patriots in 2018 and Cincinnati Bengals in 2021. The two-time NFL MVP is 13-3 in 16 career postseason starts.

Jackson is playing in the AFC Championship Game for the first time in his career. He went 16-of-22 for 152 yards through the air, ran for 100 yards on 11 carries and accounted for four touchdowns in Baltimore's 34-10 win over the Houston Texans in the divisional round.

Sunday will mark the sixth consecutive conference title game for Mahomes and the Chiefs. This will be their first one played outside of Arrowhead Stadium. They took care of business in a 27-24 win over the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in their first true road playoff game.

The Chiefs and Ravens will kickoff at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday with a berth in Super Bowl 58 on the line.