Lamar Jackson breaks Michael Vick’s rushing record

Everyone could see it coming at one point or another this season, and now it has officially happened. Lamar Jackson has broken Mike Vick’s NFL record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season.

Jackson surpassed Vick’s previous mark of 1,039 with a first quarter run on Thursday night against the New York Jets.

We often see legends and record holders showcase resentment toward younger guys surpassing their marks, and writing their own name in the record book while simultaneously ripping out the old copy. We famously saw it happen when Eric Dickerson expressed negativity toward the idea of Adrian Peterson potentially breaking his single season rushing record in 2012.

Vick, to his credit, has exhibited no such feelings. Instead, he’s hyped Jackson up since the beginning. When Jackson was on the Heisman trail at Louisville in 2016, Vick took to Twitter to proclaim that Lamar was a much better player than he was in college.

Back in November when Lamar Jackson’s speed rating in Madden 20 was bumped up to a 96, surpassing Vick’s 95 speed rating in Madden 04 for highest by a quarterback in Madden history, Vick passed the torch and showered Jackson with compliments in a Nike inspired video.

It was more of the same on Thursday night, as Vick once again paid tribute after Jackson set the official mark, telling Lamar, “I appreciate everything you do for the game.”

Up until this season Vick was the only QB in NFL history to surpass the 1,000 yards rushing plateau — doing so as QB of the Atlanta Falcons in 2006.. His rushing record stood for 13 years before Jackson, now in his second NFL season, came after it.

Lamar still has a ways to go before catching Vick’s all-time QB career record of 6,109 rushing yards. However, assuming he stays healthy, it feels like a matter of time before that one is toppled as well. Cam Newton, who sits in third place all time with 4,806 rushing yards, is also in contention to try and break Vick’s career mark.

In addition to his legendary season running the ball, Jackson came into Thursday’s game having thrown for 2,677 passing yards, and a league leading 28 passing touchdowns against just six interceptions.

Lamar Jackson is the overwhelming favorite to be named MVP this season, and he’s become the most electrifying dual threat QB we’ve seen since Vick in his prime.

“Not bad for a running back.”