Associated Press Could Strip Brian Cushing Of Rookie Of The Year Award

The rookie of the year award in the NFL is handed out by the Associated Press. This is the one everyone pays attention to and it happens to be the one that Texans LB Brian Cushing won in 2009.

Now, Cushing has violated the NFL's performance enhancing drugs policy. Whatever the drug was, it definitely helped him win the award in 2009 seeing as the positive test came in September of 2009.

This has caused an outcry of folks demanding that his rookie of the year award be stripped. As it turns out, the AP is listening. AP writer Dave Goldberg tweets a "re-vote is possible". Implicit in those words are that the AP is indeed discussing whether or not to allow Cushing to retain the award.

If the award is stripped, it would lead to a barrage of questions:

• What about Shawne Merriman, who tested positive after his rookie of the year award?
• Would it be a re-vote or would second place finisher Jairus Byrd be given the award?
• Would this apply to all AP awards moving forward?

The AP has a panel of 50 voters for seven individual awards and the All-Pro team.

The NFL declined to comment on the matter telling SB Nation, "The award you are referencing is administrated by The Associated Press and is not affiliated with the NFL."

For more developments on this story, check out SB Nation's Battle Red Blog.