List of NFL Comeback Player of the Year awards
A number of NFL Comeback Player of the Year awards are given to National Football League (NFL) players who have demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury or other circumstances that led them to miss playing time the previous season.[1][2] The awards have been presented by several organizations, including the Associated Press (AP), Pro Football Writers Association (PFWA), The Sporting News, and United Press International (UPI).
United Press International
[edit]In 1962, United Press International (UPI) chose a comeback player of the year 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 subsequently discontinued their award after 1963, with the exception of 1969.
| Season | Player | Position | Team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Gifford | WR | NY Giants | [3] | |
| Ed Brown | QB | Pittsburgh | [4] | |
| Gale Sayers | RB | Chicago |
Associated Press
[edit]From 1963 to 1966, the award was given by the Associated Press (AP) to both an NFL and AFL player. No award was given between 1966 and 1998. Paul Lowe, Chad Pennington, and Joe Burrow are the only recipients of the award to have won twice.
1963–1966
[edit]| NFL | AFL | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Player | Position | Team | Season | Player | Position | Team |
| Jim Martin | K | Baltimore | Paul Lowe | RB | San Diego | ||
| Lenny Moore | RB | Baltimore | Abner Haynes | RB | Kansas City | ||
| John Brodie | QB | San Francisco | Paul Lowe | RB | San Diego | ||
| Dick Bass | RB | LA Rams | Babe Parilli | QB | Boston | ||
1998–2025
[edit]Pro Football Weekly / Pro Football Writers Association
[edit]From 1972 to 1991, the Comeback Player of the Year award was presented by Pro Football Weekly (PFW) only. PFW and the Pro Football Writers Association (PFWA) combined their awards from 1992 to 2012.[5]
The Sporting News
[edit]See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Nelson, Joe (October 11, 2024). "Sam Darnold is ineligible for NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
- ↑ "NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award". Football Almanac. Baseball Almanac. Archived from the original on January 13, 2010. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
- ↑ "NFL Comeback-of-the-Year Award Voted to Frank Gifford of Giants". Hartford Courant. United Press International. April 1, 1963. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2009.
- ↑ "Steelers' Brown Comeback Winner". Lodi News-Sentinel. United Press International. December 21, 1963. Retrieved December 20, 2009.
- ↑ "Comeback Player of the Year". Pro Football Writers Association. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ↑ The Sporting News. (January 15, 2009). SN's Comeback Player of the Year: Antonio Bryant The Sporting News Retrieved December 20, 2009.
- ↑ The Sporting News. (January 14, 2010). Titans QB Vince Young voted Sporting News 2009 NFL Comeback Player of the Year The Sporting News Retrieved December 20, 2009.
- ↑ "SN 2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year: Michael Vick". The Sporting News. January 12, 2011. Archived from the original on July 3, 2015. Retrieved July 2, 2015.
- ↑ "Sporting News 2011 NFL awards: Plaxico Burress, Comeback Player of the Year". The Sporting News. January 25, 2012. Archived from the original on January 31, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
- ↑ "Adrian Peterson voted Sporting News' Comeback Player of the Year". The Sporting News. January 22, 2013. Archived from the original on January 23, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
- ↑ Cash, Rana (January 28, 2014). "Can't keep Darrelle Revis down; Bucs cornerback named Sporting News' Comeback Player of the Year". The Sporting News. Archived from the original on December 13, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ↑ Cash, Rana (January 22, 2015). "Patriots' Rob Gronkowski named Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year". The Sporting News. Retrieved February 7, 2021.[dead link]
- ↑ Collins, Cory (January 12, 2016). "Cardinals' Carson Palmer named Sporting News' Comeback Player of the Year". The Sporting News. Archived from the original on November 22, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ↑ Marvez, Alex (January 24, 2017). "Packers' Jordy Nelson voted Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year for 2016". The Sporting News. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Haislop, Tadd (January 9, 2019). "NFL awards: Resurgent 49ers dominate voting for Sporting News' 2019 honors". The Sporting News. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ↑ Cadeaux, Ethan (January 21, 2021). "Alex Smith named NFL Comeback Player of the Year by Sporting News". NBC Sports. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
- ↑ "NFL awards: Cowboys, Bengals break through in voting for Sporting News' 2021 honors". The Sporting News. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "NFL awards 2024: Lions, Vikings double up in voting for Sporting News' honors". The Sporting News. January 30, 2025. Retrieved May 3, 2026.