If any of the 50 voters send in a comeback player of the year ballot with Sam Darnold’s name on it, it won’t be thrown back.
The AP has confirmed that ballots containing the name of the Vikings starting quarterback will not be rejected.
We surmised last month that Darnold votes would be accepted. After re-reading earlier today the questions sent to the AP and the answers that were received, it wasn’t clear that votes for Darnold would be accepted.
The October statement from the AP still has an ominous feel: “We have given voters the criteria and will follow up regularly to make sure the guidelines are clear. We expect voters will follow the criteria, and the award recipient will meet the criteria.”
The criteria, as previously interpreted by the AP, exclude Darnold. So what if we don’t follow the criteria? Will we be dumped from the panel next year? And how can they guarantee the winner will meet the criteria, if they’ll accept votes that don’t meet the criteria?
While the attempt to clarify the previously wide-open award was meant to make it something other than an award for the most improved player, the AP is still taking a leap of faith and making a roll of the dice that the voters will comply. The final numbers released on February 6 will reveal whether and to what extent the voters complied with the clarified standard.
