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The debate remains at a whisper now, but when the NFL season ends and the Associated Press begins voting on its annual awards, the discussion about whether Joe Burrow or Sam Darnold should win the Comeback Player Of The Year award is going to get quite loud.

And that’s because there’s controversy whether Darnold should be considered at all.

Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates running back Aaron Jones’ (33) touchdown run with head coach Kevin O’Connell during the fourth quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Darnold Having A Career Year

The Minnesota Vikings quarterback is having a great season, by the way. A career year. He has crawled out of the depths of being a first-round draft bust to a backup to a second-tier signing by the Vikings this year.

But a funny thing happened to Darnold on his  path to a middling career. He got a chance to play, and his performance this season has been an epiphany.

Darnold has thrown 28 touchdown passes, tying him for third most in the league. He has only 10 interceptions. His 3,299 passing yards is sixth most and his passer rating of 108.1 is third highest.

The guy is having the kind of year that makes him a legitimate Most Valuable Player candidate.

But it says right here he’s not the Comeback Player of the Year. Because he can’t be. It’s not what the award is about.

Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) celebrates running back Aaron Jones’ (33) touchdown run against the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

AP Clarifies Guidance For Award

And that’s where things get controversial. Because there are people out there – many living in the land of 10,000 lakes – who want Darnold awarded as the CPOY. 

Because he came back from, well, being a marginal NFL player on teams that didn’t develop or use him properly. 

Darnold, they contend, came back from a career abyss.

But that’s not how the AP wants anyone to think of it.

On June 18th, in a letter to those who vote for the AP All-Pro team and the awards the organization presents, AP Senior NFL Writer Rob Maaddi issued new criteria by which voters should choose the Comebacker Player of the Year:

“The spirit of the AP Comeback Player of the Year award is to honor a player who has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury or other circumstances that led him to miss playing time the previous season.”

Flacco Over Damar? Really?

The clarification process began when Geno Smith won the award in 2022 simply because he wandered the NFL wilderness for years after failing with the New York Jets. He sat behind Russell Wilson for two years in Seattle before getting a chance to start in 2022.

And Smith played great that year and won the award.

Last year, even as Buffalo’s Damar Hamlin returned to play after recovering from what seemed like his death on the turf in Cincinnati in 2022, voters gave the award to Joe Flacco.

Flacco’s comeback feat? He had been unsigned until the Cleveland Browns got him off his couch during the season. And in starting five games, he helped the Browns get into the playoffs.

Again, no injury. Didn’t miss games the previous year for any reason other than someone was playing in front of him.

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ARLINGTON, TEXAS – DECEMBER 09: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates a touchdown scored by Chase Brown #30 against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter in the game at AT&T Stadium on December 09, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

Josh Jacobs A CPOY Candidate 

So, the AP changed its criteria. And by the spirit of that criteria, Darnold is not eligible. 

Darnold might be the NFL’s Most Improved Player, were that an award. But he’s not the Comeback Player of the Year.

The most logical recipient is Burrow, who actually did have an injury that ended his 2023 season prematurely. This season, Burrow is leading the NFL with 33 touchdown passes and 3,706 passing yards.

Even if Burrow were not playing out of his mind, the new guidance would suggest Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs could win over Darnold.

Jacobs suffered a quad injury that cost him the final month of last season. It was the most significant injury of his career because he’s always been a durable player – missing only six games in his first four seasons – while playing perhaps the position that beats players up the most.

For whatever reason, perhaps including cost, or not valuing the running back position, the Raiders let Jacobs walk as a free agent.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) rushes against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

‘Other Circumstance’ Has Darnold In Contention

And he signed with the Packers and is third in the NFL with 1,053 rushing yards.

But, the Darnold people insist, their guy is better suited for the CPOY award than Burrow or Jacobs or anyone else not playing in the Gopher state. Why do they keep insisting?

It’s the “other circumstances” part of the AP guidance.  

The spirit of the guidance doesn’t mean to include a circumstance where a journeyman comes out of nowhere and has a great season. But the AP is not saying anyone is ineligible to win the award. 

And that gives voters leeway to vote with the spirit of the guidance or with whatever other spirit possesses them.

So voters, of which I am one, can vote for the league TD leader who has seven games with three touchdowns or more, including the last five in a row, after recovering from a season-ending wrist injury … 

…Or go with Darnold, who has overcome neither physical injury nor illness.

The debate is about to get loud in the coming month before the ballots are due.