Inside The Vikings

Revealed: Three voters who included Sam Darnold on MVP ballot

Darnold finished tenth in MVP voting this year, getting three fifth-place votes.
Will Ragatz|
Feb 1, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws the ball during NFC Practice for the Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium.
Feb 1, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws the ball during NFC Practice for the Pro Bowl Games at Camping World Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold finished tenth in MVP voting this year, getting three fifth-place votes. Thanks to the Associated Press publishing the ballots of all 50 voters, we can see exactly who gave him those votes.

The three? Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, Sam Monson of The 33rd Team, and John McMullen of Eagles On SI.

Here's how the voting shook out, as Josh Allen narrowly edged out Lamar Jackson:

Josh Allen: 27-22-1-0-0: 383
Lamar Jackson: 23-26-0-1-0: 362
Saquon Barkley: 0-1-25-19-2: 120
Joe Burrow: 0-1-15-10-12: 82
Jared Goff: 0-0-6-5-19: 47
Patrick Mahomes: 0-0-3-8-6: 31
Jayden Daniels: 0-0-0-2-4: 8
Ja'Marr Chase: 0-0-0-2-2: 6
Justin Herbert: 0-0-0-3-0: 6
Sam Darnold: 0-0-0-0-3: 3
Baker Mayfield: 0-0-0-0-2: 2

Darnold also finished third in Comeback Player of the Year award voting, behind winner Joe Burrow and second-place finisher J.K. Dobbins. Burrow better fit the spirit of the award, whose criteria was emphasized this year to include players coming back from injury or other circumstances that caused them to miss time. If there was a "Most Improved Player" award like the NBA has, Darnold likely would've won it in a landslide.

It was an incredible season for Darnold, who signed a one-year, $10 million deal to be the Vikings' bridge option at quarterback. After J.J. McCarthy went down with a season-ending knee injury, Darnold was locked in as Minnesota's QB for the year. All he did was throw for 4,300 yards and 35 touchdowns, leading the Vikings to 14 wins and earning a well-deserved Pro Bowl nod.

Now a free agent, it'll be fascinating to see if Darnold returns to Minnesota or winds up signing a big contract elsewhere. His struggles with everything on the line in the final two games of the season might impact his market slightly, but he's still clearly the best QB available this offseason.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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