Latest Sam Darnold CPOY betting odds indicate NFL is defying its own logic

Roughly six months, the NFL took measures to prevent players like Sam Darnold from winning the Comeback Player of the Year Award. Suddenly, the betting odds suggest the league is ready to go against its recently adjusted rules.

As NBC Sports' Jay Croucher points out, Darnold is now the favorite to earn CPOY recognition. However, like the previous two winners, the first-time Pro Bowler is a quarterback who previously experienced years of mediocrity and being a backup. Oddly enough, even after the NFL acted accordingly to address this, they find themselves in an all-too-familiar position.

Latest Sam Darnold CPOY betting odds indicate NFL is defying its own logic

Of course, Darnold has been remarkable this season, improbably and emphatically salvaging his career. He deserves acknowledgment for his efforts, though this isn't how to do it. Or at least that's what the league told us not too long ago before backtracking on their word.

Geno Smith and (most notably) Joe Flacco's comeback campaigns in 2022 and 2023, respectively, have led many to question the spirit of the award. It reached a point where the league revised the criteria to focus on injury and illness last offseason. Fortunately, Darnold doesn't meet either of those benchmarks, making his status atop the leaderboard noteworthy.

The craziest part is the Associated Press (AP) has already confirmed that CPOY votes in favor of Darnold won't be rejected. This comes shortly after the news agency was ostensibly unhappy with the selection process and modified the requirements. They're effectively doing a complete 180.

For whatever it's worth, sportsbooks aren't the be-all and end-all when it comes to annual NFL honors. Nonetheless, they can be a telling indicator, especially since Darnold is a considerable frontrunner. Given the Minnesota Vikings signal-caller is minus money at this juncture of the 2024 campaign, it'd take an unlikely set of events to usurp him.

Darnold has been tremendous in his first season with the Vikings. He's given them a chance to claim the NFC's No. 1 seed heading into the team's decisive regular-season finale against the Detroit Lions. Thanks to his shocking breakout, Minnesota has gone 14-2. The 27-year-old has set career-best marks across the board, posting a 68.1 completion percentage for 4,153 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.