Few players this NFL season have put forth a better comeback story through six weeks than Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold — yet he will likely not receive votes for the league award’s Comeback Player of the Year award (CPOY).
Associated Press (AP) senior NFL writer Rob Maaddi outlined a recent redefining of the award, given by the AP, that emphasizes honoring a player who missed playing time the previous season due to injury or illness.
“#Vikings QB Sam Darnold probably would’ve been a candidate for the Comeback Player of the Year award before the AP issued guidance to voters before the season, instructing them that ‘the spirit of the 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,’ ” Maadi wrote in an October 11 post on X (formerly Twitter).
Originally drafted third overall by the New York Jets in 2018, Darnold is on his fourth team in seven seasons. The Jets traded him to the Carolina Panthers in 2021, and after two seasons in Carolina, Darnold was not re-signed and served as a backup for the San Francisco 49ers last season.
The Vikings’ over-under with Darnold as their starter was set at just 6.5 wins before the start of the 2024 season due to his reputation and 21-35 career record.
His career resurgence has fueled the Vikings’ 5-0 start to the season atop the NFC. Despite a lackluster showing against a vaunted Jets defense, Darnold is tied for second in touchdown passes (11) and sixth in quarterback rating (103.4).
While Darnold does not fit the definition for CPOY, Maaddi considers Darnold a candidate for a more illustrious award.
“If he keeps playing at this level, Darnold could end up with another award: Most Valuable Player,” Maadie added.
Vikings QB Sam Darnold Has Plenty to Prove Coming Out of Bye Week
While Darnold has taken the NFL by surprise with Minnesota’s 5-0 start to the season, Darnold has shown a decline in efficiency in his past two games.
In Week 5, Darnold threw more incompletions (17) than completions (14) and was held without a touchdown in a 23-17 win over the Jets. His 179 passing yards and 50.3 quarterback rating were both season-lows.
The Vikings offense, despite scoring 28 unanswered points to open the game, only scored a field goal in the final half of a 31-29 win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 4.
Minnesota has played complementary football through five weeks with the defense equally responsible for the team’s success.
However, if Darnold cannot keep the offense afloat and sustain drives, the defense is bound to regress.
Vikings Open Week 7 as Home Favorites Over Surging Lions
Entering Week 7, the Vikings (5-0) are 2.5-point favorites over the NFC North division favorite Detroit Lions (4-1) at home, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
Detroit is coming off a dominant 47-9 drubbing of the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, October 13. The Lions’ offense has scored 89 points in the past two weeks and leads the league, averaging 30.2 points per game.
While the Lions’ defense has ranked among the best in the league, Detroit will be without edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, a runaway favorite for Defensive Player of the Year this season. Hutchinson paced the league with 8.0 sacks and 45 pressures but appears to be done for the season after undergoing surgery for a fractured tibia and fibula.
The biggest matchup of the game may be between Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores in a Titanic tilt between the league’s top offense and defense through five weeks.
