The NFL awards were a mess, and these were the worst votes

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images We have to do something about these awards. Every vote in the NFL awards is subjective, we get that — but at some point you have to start questioning the methodology of voters. When some outliers are so pronounced, it affects who takes home awards. The system has a problem, and Thursday night put it on full display. From bizarre choices, to inconsistent internal logic, and even some votes that went against the rubric of the awards themselves, it’s clear that the current panel of votes aren’t on the same page to the extent that something has to be changed in the future. Lamar Jackson gets a 4th place MVP vote I’m not going to litigate Josh Allen winning MVP. I thought a fair case could be made for Allen, Jackson, or Saquon Barkley — and with the understanding that Josh had fallen short before I do understand giving him the edge in 2024. What makes absolutely no sense, however, is putting Lamar Jackson fourth on your ballot. AP NFL Most Valuable Player voting:Josh Allen: 27-22-1-0-0: 383Lamar Jackson: 23-26-0-1-0: 362Saquon Barkley: 0-1-25-19-2: 120Joe Burrow: 0-1-15-10-12: 82Jared Goff: 0-0-6-5-19: 47Patrick Mahomes: 0-0-3-8-6: 31Ja'Marr…— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) February 7, 2025 The offending ballot had Allen, Barkley, Joe Burrow, then Jackson. I would love to understand what justification was being used other than “I don’t want Lamar to win MVP.” It wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the award, but it brings into questions what priority was being used here. Voting for Allen over Jackson assumes that QB wins are being weighted more heavily, with the Bills having a better regular season record than the Ravens, as well as an additional playoff win. I can respect that, but then how do you reconcile that logic with putting Burrow over Jackson when the Bengals only went 9-8 and failed to make the playoffs? The response to that would be Burrow’s numbers, in which he threw for an astounding 4,918 yards, 43 TDs and 9 INTs. Those are monster results, but then if stats are more important how do you justify putting Allen over Jackson when he was objectively worse across the board? Again, I’m not saying Josh Allen didn’t deserve MVP — but having a voter put Jackson fourth is simply ridiculous. Nobody knows what the hell Comeback Player of the Year is This award is an absolute mess. A year ago the rubric of the award was changed and given to voters to inform them that the focus would be on players who suffered injury, or missed playing time due to circumstances outside their control. The spirit of the AP Comeback Player of the Year award is to honor a player who has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury or other circumstances that led him to miss playing time the previous season. The decision to provide this guidance was made last December but could not be implemented for the 2023 awards because the season was almost completed. The extremely cynical way to look at this is that the change was made to ensure Damar Hamlin would win, but that didn’t happen anyway. What did happen in the CPAY was a mess. Sam Darnold received 102 points despite not being injured in 2024, even making it to the Super Bowl as Brock Purdy’s backup in San Francisco Saquon Barkley received votes despite only missing three games in 2023 Jameson Williams received votes for missing games due to a gambling suspension Russell Wilson got votes despite not being injured Tony Jefferson got votes after recording a mediocre 24 tackles and 1 INT in eight games Joe Burrow definitely deserved to win this one. The issue is that there’s a guideline for eligibility and voters either ignored it, or stretched the justification so far that it’s meaningless. This award should clearly be anyone who returned to form or broke out after a terrible season, regardless of whether it was caused by injury, poor performance, or bad coaching. A “comeback” shouldn’t solely be defined by someone who was hurt — because it fails to account for some of the best stories in the NFL. Alex Van Pelt got a vote for coordinator of the year Someone needs to find out who in the Boston media voted for Alex Van Pelt. The Patriots offensive coordinator led a unit in 2024 which was: 30th in the NFL in points scored 32nd in passing yards 31st in passing touchdowns 13th in rushing yards 25th in rushing touchdowns The Pats had one of the worst offenses in the entire NFL, and yet someone voted Van Pelt as one of the best coordinators in the league. Oh, he was fired by Mike Vrabel, by the way. Perhaps someone should have let the Patriots new coach he had one of the best OCs in the NFL on his staff.

Feb 7, 2025 - 18:07

The NFL awards were a mess, and these were the worst votes

NFL: Super Bowl LIX-NFL Honors Red Carpet — Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

We have to do something about these awards.

Every vote in the NFL awards is subjective, we get that — but at some point you have to start questioning the methodology of voters. When some outliers are so pronounced, it affects who takes home awards. The system has a problem, and Thursday night put it on full display.

From bizarre choices, to inconsistent internal logic, and even some votes that went against the rubric of the awards themselves, it’s clear that the current panel of votes aren’t on the same page to the extent that something has to be changed in the future.

Lamar Jackson gets a 4th place MVP vote

I’m not going to litigate Josh Allen winning MVP. I thought a fair case could be made for Allen, Jackson, or Saquon Barkley — and with the understanding that Josh had fallen short before I do understand giving him the edge in 2024.

What makes absolutely no sense, however, is putting Lamar Jackson fourth on your ballot.

AP NFL Most Valuable Player voting:

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
Ja'Marr…— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) February 7, 2025

The offending ballot had Allen, Barkley, Joe Burrow, then Jackson. I would love to understand what justification was being used other than “I don’t want Lamar to win MVP.” It wouldn’t have changed the outcome of the award, but it brings into questions what priority was being used here.

Voting for Allen over Jackson assumes that QB wins are being weighted more heavily, with the Bills having a better regular season record than the Ravens, as well as an additional playoff win. I can respect that, but then how do you reconcile that logic with putting Burrow over Jackson when the Bengals only went 9-8 and failed to make the playoffs?

The response to that would be Burrow’s numbers, in which he threw for an astounding 4,918 yards, 43 TDs and 9 INTs. Those are monster results, but then if stats are more important how do you justify putting Allen over Jackson when he was objectively worse across the board?

Again, I’m not saying Josh Allen didn’t deserve MVP — but having a voter put Jackson fourth is simply ridiculous.

Nobody knows what the hell Comeback Player of the Year is

This award is an absolute mess. A year ago the rubric of the award was changed and given to voters to inform them that the focus would be on players who suffered injury, or missed playing time due to circumstances outside their control.

The spirit of the AP Comeback Player of the Year award is to honor a player who has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury or other circumstances that led him to miss playing time the previous season. The decision to provide this guidance was made last December but could not be implemented for the 2023 awards because the season was almost completed.

The extremely cynical way to look at this is that the change was made to ensure Damar Hamlin would win, but that didn’t happen anyway. What did happen in the CPAY was a mess.

Sam Darnold received 102 points despite not being injured in 2024, even making it to the Super Bowl as Brock Purdy’s backup in San Francisco
Saquon Barkley received votes despite only missing three games in 2023
Jameson Williams received votes for missing games due to a gambling suspension
Russell Wilson got votes despite not being injured
Tony Jefferson got votes after recording a mediocre 24 tackles and 1 INT in eight games

Joe Burrow definitely deserved to win this one. The issue is that there’s a guideline for eligibility and voters either ignored it, or stretched the justification so far that it’s meaningless.

This award should clearly be anyone who returned to form or broke out after a terrible season, regardless of whether it was caused by injury, poor performance, or bad coaching. A “comeback” shouldn’t solely be defined by someone who was hurt — because it fails to account for some of the best stories in the NFL.

Alex Van Pelt got a vote for coordinator of the year

Someone needs to find out who in the Boston media voted for Alex Van Pelt. The Patriots offensive coordinator led a unit in 2024 which was:

30th in the NFL in points scored
32nd in passing yards
31st in passing touchdowns
13th in rushing yards
25th in rushing touchdowns

The Pats had one of the worst offenses in the entire NFL, and yet someone voted Van Pelt as one of the best coordinators in the league. Oh, he was fired by Mike Vrabel, by the way. Perhaps someone should have let the Patriots new coach he had one of the best OCs in the NFL on his staff.