The Associated Press, after years of offering no guidance as to what “Comeback Player of the Year” means, has finally given voters something more than just “comeback.”
“The AP Comeback Player of the Year Award is intended to honor a player who has shown resilience in the face of adversity.” overcoming illness, physical injury, or other circumstances “Because of that, he didn't have a chance to play last season,” he told voters Tuesday, the AP reported.
In other words, “returning from a poor performance” is no longer a thing. Likewise, “returning from being a backup player” apparently does not qualify a player for the award. (That said, being benched would arguably count as “other circumstances that caused him to miss playing time last season.”)
Given that this change was prompted by Geno Smith winning the award in 2022 and undoubtedly exacerbated by Dummar Hamlin not winning it in 2023, the “coming back from being a backup” subcategory is likely dead.
If that is the case (as it appears to be), then anyone who spent some cash on, for example, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson at a score of 12-1 (or something like that) might be a little upset at this point.
Of course, maybe the AP will allow Wilson to be considered, since he arguably had “other circumstances” (contractual complications) that resulted in him being benched. Still, even if he finished the season as a starter, before the change in standards, he was a non-longshot for the award.
Another player people may be betting on is Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (maybe “other conditions” would apply to him). Or how about Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, 30-1?
He didn't play last year, but he wasn't injured or sick. In San Francisco, he was second in command to Brock Purdy. So if Darnold wins the starting job in Minnesota and has a career year under coach Kevin O'Connell and the Vikings make the playoffs, is Darnold worth it? Obviously not.
This is a risk of betting on games that result from a vote. Beyond the inherently subjective nature of the process, standards can change after you place your bet.
It will be interesting to see if a sports book will return bets placed on players who did not miss time due to illness or injury in 2023, and those who are simply coming back from performing poorly and/or not being in the starting lineup. It will also be interesting to see if certain players are taken off the board.
The goal of this change was obviously to solve a very specific problem. Like many well-intentioned efforts, it may have led to a number of unintended consequences.