Minnesota Vikings' Sam Darnold Finalist For NFL Comeback Player Of The Year

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold was announced as a finalist for the National Football League’s Comeback Player of The Year award. Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell was also named a finalist for NFL Coach of the Year, and defensive coordinator Brian Flores was named a finalist for the NFL Assistant Coach of the Year. The winners are to be announced on Feb. 6.

The former USC Trojans quarterback had a career-best campaign in his journey to lead the Vikings to their best regular season since 1999 with a 14-3 record. Alongside Darnold, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin, New England Patriots defensive back Christian Gonzalez, and Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins make up the remaining finalists for the award.

Darnold, who was named to his first NFC Pro Bowl team over players like Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, Matthew Stafford, and others, threw for 35 passing touchdowns and 4,319 passing yards in the regular season. Both were the fifth-best marks in the league. Darnold also completed 66 percent of his passes and finished sixth in the league in passer rating. His success was no fluke as he consistently performed like one of the better quarterbacks in the league this season.

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Darnold also finished sixth in passing yards per attempt and had a higher average depth of target than Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, and Aaron Rodgers to name a few notable players. Darnold’s Pro Bowl and Comeback Player of the Year Award nominations are both well deserved. The heart of the award is typically slanted for players that have overcome serious injury, and maybe rightfully so, but Darnold would be a worthy winner.

Perhaps the fix is to have a Most Improved Player award to go alongside the Comeback Player of the Year. That way players like Darnold who made strides against all odds to get better and have a career year could be honored, and the players who suffered catastrophic injuries could get their flowers for even returning to the field in one piece. Until that day, fans and voters will be splitting hairs about what the true definition of a comeback means in this setting.

THAT’S OUR FREAKING QUARTERBACK pic.twitter.com/pEo4aqPHen
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 30, 2024

Regardless, Darnold has proven he’s here to stay in some capacity, and that in itself is an improbable comeback. Darnold's future in Minnesota is still in the air as he is potentially set to enter free agency. No matter the case, Darnold will have options, and that was not a conceivable reality just six months ago.

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