NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award

Group of awards

The National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Award refers to a number of awards that are given to a National Football League (NFL) player who overcomes adversity to return to remarkable performance, in the form of not being in the NFL the previous year, a severe injury, or simply poor performance.^[1] The awards have been presented by several organizations, including the Associated Press (AP), Pro Football Writers Association (PFWA), Sporting News, and United Press International (UPI). As of the 2024 season, Chad Pennington has been the only recipient of the award to have won the Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award in multiple seasons.

AP Comeback Player of the Year award (1963–1966, 1998–present)

From 1963 to 1966, the award was given to both an NFL and AFL player. No award was given between 1966 and 1998. In recent years, reigning award recipients Andrew Luck and Alex Smith have retired before the upcoming season.[1][2]

PFW/PFWA Comeback Player of the Year award (1972–present)

From 1972 to 1991, the Comeback Player of the Year award was presented by Pro Football Weekly (PFW) only. PFW and the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) combined their awards from 1992 to 2012.^[2]

UPI Comeback Player of the Year award (1962–1969)

In 1962, United Press International (UPI) chose a comeback player for the first time. The winner, Frank Gifford, had made a comeback from a devastating injury from a hit by Chuck Bednarik. The following year, the Associated Press (AP) established a similar award. UPI discontinued the award after 1963, with the exception of 1969. The AP did not give out the award from 1967 to 1998, when the award was reinstituted and given to Doug Flutie.

• 1962 Frank Gifford, WR, New York Giants^[3]
• 1963 Ed Brown, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers^[4]
• 1964–1968 No award given
• 1969 Gale Sayers, RB, Chicago Bears

Sporting News NFL Comeback Player of the Year award

• 2008 — Antonio Bryant, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers^[5]
• 2009 — Vince Young, QB, Tennessee Titans^[6]
• 2010 — Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia Eagles^[7]
• 2011 — Plaxico Burress, WR, New York Jets^[8]
• 2012 — Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings^[9]
• 2013 — Darrelle Revis, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers^[10]
• 2014 — Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots^[11]
• 2015 — Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals^[12]
• 2016 — Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers^[13]
• 2017 — Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers^[14]
• 2018 — Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts^[15]
• 2019 — Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, San Francisco 49ers^[16]
• 2020 — Alex Smith, QB, Washington Football Team^[17]
• 2021 — Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals^[18]
• 2022 — Geno Smith, QB, Seattle Seahawks
• 2023 — Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins^[19]

See also

• List of National Football League awards

References

General

• "Comeback Player of the Year". Pro Football Writers of America. Retrieved January 17, 2014.

Specific

1. "NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award". Football Almanac. Archived from the original on January 13, 2010. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
2. "Comeback Player of the Year". Pro Football Writers Association. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
3. United Press International (1-04-1963).NFL Comeback-of-the-Year Award Voted to Frank Gifford of Giants Hartford Courant, Hartford CT. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
4. United Press International. (12-21-1963).Steelers' Brown Comeback Winner Lodi News-Sentinel. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
5. Sporting News. (January 15, 2009). SN's Comeback Player of the Year: Antonio Bryant Sporting News Retrieved 12-20-2009.
6. Sporting News. (January 14, 2010). Titans QB Vince Young voted Sporting News 2009 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Sporting News Retrieved 12-20-2009.
7. "SN 2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year: Michael Vick". Sporting News. January 12, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
8. "Sporting News 2011 NFL awards: Plaxico Burress, Comeback Player of the Year". Sporting News. January 25, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
9. "Adrian Peterson voted Sporting News' Comeback Player of the Year". Sporting News. January 22, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
10. Cash, Rana (January 28, 2014). "Can't keep Darrelle Revis down; Bucs cornerback named Sporting News' Comeback Player of the Year". Sporting News. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
11. Cash, Rana (January 22, 2015). "Patriots' Rob Gronkowski named Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year". Sporting News. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
12. Collins, Cory (January 12, 2016). "Cardinals' Carson Palmer named Sporting News' Comeback Player of the Year". Sporting News. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
13. Marvez, Alex (January 24, 2017). "Packers' Jordy Nelson voted Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year for 2016". Sporting News. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
14. Reeve Jr., Will (January 25, 2018). "Chargers WR Keenan Allen wins Sporting News' Comeback Player of the Year Award". USA Today. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
15. VanTryon, Matthew (January 15, 2019). "Andrew Luck voted Sporting News comeback player of the year by NFL players". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
16. Haislop, Tadd (January 9, 2019). "NFL awards: Resurgent 49ers dominate voting for Sporting News' 2019 honors". Sporting News. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
17. Cadeaux, Ethan (January 21, 2021). "Alex Smith named NFL Comeback Player of the Year by Sporting News". NBC Sports. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
18. "NFL awards: Cowboys, Bengals break through in voting for Sporting News' 2021 honors". www.sportingnews.com. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
19. "How Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa overcame concussions to win SN's NFL Comeback Player of the Year | Sporting News". www.sportingnews.com. February 1, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.