With April Fool’s Day looming Monday, it is time for this column to make its annual selection for Sports Fool of the Year.

While worthy candidates can always be found, none can really approach this year’s winner.

One such candidate is right here at home. The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Kris Letang, with his own net empty as the Pens were prepared to go on the power play, dropped a pass back toward that net to Evgeni Malkin. The puck deflected off Malkin's stick and into the Penguin net.

That occurred in a game this season, a true “own” goal rarely seen in hockey.

But that’s not Fool of the Year.

The Chicago Bears could have traded quarterback Justin Fields two months earlier than they did and acquired as first or second-round draft pick. Actually, they could have not traded Fields at all, and instead trade the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

Imagine the haul they could have gotten for that pick — some pieces that could help them build around Fields and create a shorter path to playoff contention.

Instead, the Bears trade Fields for a sixth-round pick and are starting all over again by drafting a rookie quarterback in the first round. There’s no such thing as a “can’t miss” quarterback coming out of college, so Chicago is still taking a big chance, and a longer path toward playoff contention.

Pretty foolish ... but not Fool of the Year.

Then there’s the Oakland A’s. They alienated what few fans they have left in that city by trumpeting the franchise’s move to Las Vegas — without having a stadium to play in there.

While a new stadium talks are ongoing in Las Vegas, the A’s have to figure out whether to stay in Oakland for a couple of more seasons — this having to negotiate a new lease in a terrible ballpark — or play in a minor league stadium in Vegas.

Quite the foolish quandary they are in — but not Fool of the Year.

Drum roll, please.

This year’s Fool of the Year honor goes to the Denver Broncos for their handling of the Russell Wilson situation.

First, the Broncos surrendered a ton of draft capital to Seattle to get Wilson. Then they signed him to an extremely expensive multi-year contract. Then they benched him for the final weeks of the season despite the man throwing for 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions last season.

Finally, the Broncos released Wilson outright. The Steelers signed him for $1.2 million, leaving Denver to pay $39 million to watch its former quarterback play for another team.

The Broncos still don’t have a suitable quarterback.

They do, however, have the Fool of the Year award — and my congratulations.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle