How Joe Flacco cost Vikings QB Sam Darnold a chance to win prestigious award
The success of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold this season has been one of the biggest stories in the National Football League this season. Not only has Darnold been successful, but he's also been winning awards, as he was the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September. He threw a league-high 11 touchdowns to […]
The success of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold this season has been one of the biggest stories in the National Football League this season.
Not only has Darnold been successful, but he's also been winning awards, as he was the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September. He threw a league-high 11 touchdowns to lead the Vikings into a 5-0 start.
With Darnold's career renaissance happening in front of our eyes, one award that he would be theoretically eligible to win Comeback Player of the Year award. That would be the case in past years, but as AP's Rob Maaddi reminded us on Friday, new guidelines have made it impossible .
Why have the guidelines been given to the voting pool? Simple: Joe Flacco won the award after a solid season as a backup with the Cleveland Browns when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin returned to the field after dying in week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
That rubbed people the wrong way because coming back from actually dying on the field resembles the spirit of the award over a backup at the tail end of his career. That has ultimately prevented someone like Darnold from winning the award down the line.
As Maadi also mentioned, if Darnold keeps this up, Most Valuable Player is on the table.
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