Former NBA Star Paul Pierce Makes Michael Jordan Comparison While Picking NFL MVP

The 10-time All-Star weighs in on 2024 race for the league's top regular season honor.

Jun 8, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Former Boston Celtics player Paul Pierce watches game three of the 2022 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

In a loaded 2024 NFL season, several young star quarterbacks have been jockeying for league MVP honors, as well as angling for prime postseason positioning. Two-time MVP signal caller Patrick Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs may be (improbably) 15-1 on the year, but Mahomes himself hasn't been putting up the kind of individual numbers to stand out from the pack the way he usually does.

Hall of Fame former Boston Celtics small forward Paul Pierce, currently a media personality on Fox Sports 1, believes that Allen not only is the clear-cut MVP this season — but that he has just a bit of that Michael Jordan DNA, too.

During a recent appearance on Fox Sports 1's "Speak," the 6-foot-7 Kansas product laid out his case.

.@paulpierce34 compares Josh Allen to Michael Jordan & explains why he's the clear MVP this season.

“He is the unquestioned best player on his team and for them to win, he has to be at his best... Lamar has Henry to lean on.” pic.twitter.com/hiJ6ITMjpI

— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) December 26, 2024

"I don't even think it's close," Pierce said. "I think [Lamar is] making a case... I get the numbers. His numbers are crushing everybody's numbers this year. But listen, when you talk about the moment, and when I saw what I saw Josh Allen do, in prime-time moments, it was almost like watching [Michael] Jordan again."

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Jackson — already a two-time NFL MVP — is logging 3,955 passing yards, 39 touchdowns against just four interceptions, and a league-leading 77.6 quarterback rating. The 27-year-old Louisville product's Ravens are 11-5 this year, and barely lead the 10-6 Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North.

“Undoubtedly, he is the unquestioned best player on his team and for them to win, he has to be at his best,” Pierce said. “Now on the flip side, Lamar has [Derrick] Henry to lean on... You can't say the same for Josh Allen and that team in Buffalo.”

Allen's Bills are currently 12-3 on the year, and have clinched the AFC East. The 6-foot-5, 237-pound Wyoming product's 76.8 quarterback rating is just a hair behind Jackson's. He's also recorded 3,549 passing yards and 26 touchdowns against six picks.

Pierce, a 10-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA honoree, never finished higher than seventh in NBA MVP voting himself, circa 2008-09. But he did win the 2008 Finals MVP while guiding a loaded Boston — which also included fellow Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen — to its 17th championship. Across 19 regular seasons, Pierce averaged 19.7 points on .445/.368/.806 shooting splits, 5.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.6 blocks a night.

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