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 2022 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.

    AP Comeback Player of the Year
    Year Player Position Team College
    1963 Jim Martin Kicker Baltimore Colts Notre Dame
    Paul Lowe Running back San Diego Chargers Oregon State
    1964 Lenny Moore Baltimore Colts Penn State
    Abner Haynes Kansas City Chiefs North Texas
    1965 John Brodie Quarterback San Francisco 49ers Stanford
    Paul Lowe (2) Running back San Diego Chargers Oregon State
    1966 Dick Bass Los Angeles Rams Pacific
    Babe Parilli Quarterback Boston Patriots Kentucky
    No award given between 1967 and 1997
    1998 Doug Flutie Quarterback Buffalo Bills Boston College
    1999 Bryant Young Defensive tackle San Francisco 49ers Notre Dame
    2000 Joe Johnson Defensive end New Orleans Saints Louisville
    2001 Garrison Hearst Running back San Francisco 49ers Georgia
    2002 Tommy Maddox Quarterback Pittsburgh Steelers UCLA
    2003 Jon Kitna Cincinnati Bengals Central Washington
    2004 Drew Brees San Diego Chargers Purdue
    2005 Tedy Bruschi Linebacker New England Patriots Arizona
    Steve Smith Sr. Wide receiver Carolina Panthers Utah
    2006 Chad Pennington Quarterback New York Jets Marshall
    2007 Greg Ellis Defensive end Dallas Cowboys North Carolina
    2008 Chad Pennington (2) Quarterback Miami Dolphins Marshall
    2009 Tom Brady New England Patriots Michigan
    2010 Michael Vick Philadelphia Eagles Virginia Tech
    2011 Matthew Stafford Detroit Lions Georgia
    2012 Peyton Manning Denver Broncos Tennessee
    2013 Philip Rivers San Diego Chargers NC State
    2014 Rob Gronkowski Tight end New England Patriots Arizona
    2015 Eric Berry Safety Kansas City Chiefs Tennessee
    2016 Jordy Nelson Wide receiver Green Bay Packers Kansas State
    2017 Keenan Allen Los Angeles Chargers California
    2018 Andrew Luck Quarterback Indianapolis Colts Stanford
    2019 Ryan Tannehill Tennessee Titans Texas A&M
    2020 Alex Smith Washington Football Team Utah
    2021 Joe Burrow Cincinnati Bengals LSU
    2022 Geno Smith Seattle Seahawks West Virginia

    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]

    SeasonPlayerTeamPosition College
    1972Earl MorrallMiami DolphinsQuarterback Michigan State
    1973Roman GabrielPhiladelphia Eagles NC State
    1974Joe NamathNew York Jets Alabama
    1975Dave HamptonAtlanta FalconsRunning back Wyoming
    1976Greg LandryDetroit LionsQuarterback UMass
    1977Craig MortonDenver Broncos California
    1978John RigginsWashington RedskinsRunning back Kansas
    1979Larry CsonkaMiami DolphinsFullback Syracuse
    1980Jim PlunkettOakland RaidersQuarterback Stanford
    1981Ken AndersonCincinnati Bengals Augustana
    1982Lyle AlzadoLos Angeles RaidersDefensive end Yankton
    1983Billy JohnsonAtlanta FalconsWide receiver Widener
    1984John StallworthPittsburgh Steelers Alabama A&M
    1985
    No award given
    1986Joe MontanaSan Francisco 49ersQuarterback Notre Dame
    Tommy Kramer Minnesota Vikings Rice
    1987Charles WhiteLos Angeles RamsRunning back USC
    1988Greg BellLos Angeles Rams Notre Dame
    1989Ottis AndersonNew York Giants Miami
    1990Barry WordKansas City Chiefs Virginia
    1991Jim McMahonPhiladelphia EaglesQuarterback BYU
    1992Randall Cunningham UNLV
    1993Marcus AllenKansas City ChiefsRunning back USC
    1994Dan MarinoMiami DolphinsQuarterback Pittsburgh
    1995Jim HarbaughIndianapolis Colts Michigan
    Garrison Hearst Arizona Cardinals Running back Georgia
    1996Jerome BettisPittsburgh Steelers Notre Dame
    1997Robert BrooksGreen Bay PackersWide receiver South Carolina
    1998Doug FlutieBuffalo BillsQuarterback Boston College
    1999Bryant YoungSan Francisco 49ersDefensive tackle Notre Dame
    2000Joe JohnsonNew Orleans SaintsDefensive end Louisville
    2001Garrison Hearst (2)San Francisco 49ersRunning back Georgia
    2002Tommy MaddoxPittsburgh SteelersQuarterback UCLA
    2003Jon KitnaCincinnati Bengals Central Washington
    2004Willis McGaheeBuffalo BillsRunning back Miami
    2005Steve SmithCarolina PanthersWide receiver Utah
    2006Chad PenningtonNew York JetsQuarterback Marshall
    2007Randy MossNew England PatriotsWide receiver Marshall
    2008Chad Pennington (2)Miami DolphinsQuarterback Marshall
    2009Tom BradyNew England Patriots Michigan
    2010Michael VickPhiladelphia Eagles Virginia Tech
    2011Matthew StaffordDetroit Lions Georgia
    2012Peyton ManningDenver Broncos Tennessee
    2013Philip RiversSan Diego Chargers NC State
    2014Rob GronkowskiNew England PatriotsTight end Arizona
    2015Eric BerryKansas City ChiefsSafety Tennessee
    2016Jordy NelsonGreen Bay PackersWide receiver Kansas State
    2017Keenan AllenLos Angeles Chargers California
    2018Andrew LuckIndianapolis ColtsQuarterback Stanford
    2019Ryan TannehillTennessee Titans Texas A&M
    2020Alex SmithWashington Football Team Utah
    2021 Joe Burrow Cincinnati Bengals LSU
    2022 Geno Smith Seattle Seahawks West Virginia

    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

    See also

    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 February 19, 2014.
    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.
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