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Joe Burrow is an enormous favorite to take home his second career Comeback Player of the Year trophy.
But there are some pro football pundits out there, Mike Florio and Peter King being a couple of the most notable, who are questioning the criteria and messaging the Associated Press delivered to NFL awards voters prior to the 2025 season.
And the mass media confusion is creating a massive headache for oddsmakers around the world.
"This award is so screwed up, we hate offering it," Adam Burns of BetOnline.ag said. "Last year was supposed to be Damar Hamlin, he was a huge favorite all season, and then Joe Flacco plays in five games and wins it. That made no sense and it was a huge loss for the book. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to who is ultimately selected…we are in the dark and we don’t like that position when it comes to bookmaking."
Representatives at BetOnline reached out to select AP football media members to try and gain better understanding regarding the current award criteria.
When asked about "other circumstances" and prior award recipients who were backups and became starters and whether or not specific players would not qualify or be considered, here's what a sports editor from the Associated Press responded with:
"We informed all voters of the guidelines, including in the formal communication welcoming them to the panel. There is no list of specific players who qualify or who would not be considered, and we expect voters will follow the criteria."
Burns said he agrees with Florio and others who are calling for the AP to add "Most Improved Player of the Year" in addition to Comeback POY.
Robert Cooper, the head NFL trader for SportsBetting.ag, said that if he had a vote, it would be going to Sam Darnold.
"We've seen Flacco, we've seen Geno Smith...why not Darnold, who was in the same boat as those guys...basically relegated to a career as a backup," Cooper said. “I know he’s coming back from an injury, but Joe Burrow played in 10 games last year…it’s not as if he missed the majority of the season.
"I'm well aware of the numbers Burrow is putting up, but if the Bengals don't make the playoffs and the Vikings end up the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the NFC, it would be a travesty for Darnold not to win."
After Darnold's 5-TD performance in Week 14, multiple sportsbooks, including BetOnline, did not offer odds on Comeback POY the following week.
Darnold's CPOY odds are currently 8/1 at BetOnline.ag. His odds prior to the season were 75/1 and his longest odds at during the season were 12/1 on October 13.
Here are the most recent and confounding Comeback Player of the Year numbers below.
2024 Comeback POY
Joe Burrow 1/8
Sam Darnold 8/1
J.K. Dobbins 10/1
Tim Patrick 10/1
Damar Hamlin 25/1
Kyler Murray 33/1
Anthony Richardson 60/1
Justin Herbert 66/1
Russell Wilson 66/1
Kirk Cousins 100/1
