Aaron Rodgers is a new case study in how voters choose NFL awards

Aaron Rodgers has done so well for the Green Bay Packers this season that he is favored to win his fourth NFL MVP award. Despite missing one game, his 35 touchdowns and only four interceptions, along with a 13-3 Packers record, Rodgers finds himself strongly in contention.

Which is why some fans might have been surprised by the comments that came from NFL Journalist and MVP voter Hub Arkush, who said he would not be voting for Rodgers because he is a "jerk." To which Rodgers was quick to respond, calling Arkush a "bum."

This bizarre back and forth between an NFL player and a journalist/MVP voter has seemingly raised questions around voter bias and journalistic influence. While also serving as an interesting case study in how NFL voters operate and how awards are handed out in general.

The Aaron Rodgers MVP debate may lead to major NFL changes

The top NFL awards, namely MVP and All-Pro honors, are voted on by a panel of Associated Press journalists. In Rodgers' case, 50 journalists vote on the NFL MVP award. It is reasonable to assume that if one of the 50 voters were to come out and say a player does not deserve an MVP award, that might indicate an underlying bias amongst the group that year.

Let's say any player, not just Rodgers, misses out on an award or All-Pro honor because of their perceived character off the field. It wouldn't just be a question of fairness, there could also be tangible consequences. For example, a player's earning potential could be adversely affected as many NFL contracts take awards into account, especially when it comes to bonuses.

That means an NFL player can have a fantastic season and miss out on a bonus because a few award voters aren't particularly fond of them as people. How is that fair? These awards also factor into Hall of Fame considerations down the line. Should a player have to fight for enshrinement if they did not have a likable personality?

NFL legend Cris Carter recently spoke on how award voters affected his Hall of Fame enshrinement even though he put up legendary numbers as a player.

Carter's point is that a player's stats should be the only deciding factor when it comes to awards for their on-field performances. However, should one voter not like a player, as Carter says, they can spread that sentiment around and essentially punish someone even though they have had a great career.

With Carter sharing his own experience, it only proves that this is not a new issue as he retired all the way back in 2002. The publicity around Arkush openly saying he won't vote for Rodgers could potentially lead to changes if enough players speak out and complain to the NFL about it..

Alternatively, the issue could come up in future labor negotiations regarding awards factoring into contracts and whether the two should be mutually exclusive. Rodgers already has a potential case on his hands if he doesn't win the MVP this year, even if he was going to lose fair and square to someone like Tom Brady in the first place.

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