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. 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 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.
Season Player Position Team Frank Gifford WR NY Giants Ed Brown QB Pittsburgh Gale Sayers RB Chicago
Associated Press
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 NFLAFL 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 ParilliQB Boston
1998–2025 Season Player Position Team Doug Flutie QB Buffalo Bryant Young DT San Francisco Joe Johnson DE New Orleans Garrison Hearst RB San Francisco Tommy Maddox QB Pittsburgh Jon Kitna QB Cincinnati Drew Brees QB San Diego Tedy Bruschi LB New England Steve Smith Sr. WR Carolina Chad Pennington QB NY Jets Greg Ellis DE Dallas Chad Pennington QB Miami Tom Brady QB New England Michael Vick QB Philadelphia Matthew Stafford QB Detroit Peyton Manning QB Denver Philip Rivers QB San Diego Rob Gronkowski TE New England Eric Berry S Kansas City Jordy Nelson WR Green Bay Keenan Allen WR LA Chargers Andrew Luck QB Indianapolis Ryan Tannehill QB Tennessee Alex Smith QB Washington Joe Burrow QB Cincinnati Geno Smith QB Seattle Joe Flacco QB Cleveland Joe Burrow QB Cincinnati Christian McCaffrey RB San Francisco
Pro Football Weekly / Pro Football Writers Association 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.
Season Player Position Team Earl Morrall QB Miami Roman Gabriel QB Philadelphia Joe Namath QB NY Jets Dave Hampton RB Atlanta Greg Landry QB Detroit Craig Morton QB Denver John Riggins RB Washington Larry Csonka FB Miami Jim Plunkett QB Oakland Ken Anderson QB Cincinnati Lyle Alzado DE LA Raiders Billy Johnson WR Atlanta John Stallworth WR Pittsburgh Joe Montana QB San Francisco Tommy Kramer QB Minnesota Charles White RB LA Rams Greg Bell RB LA Rams Ottis Anderson RB NY Giants Barry Word RB Kansas City Jim McMahon QB Philadelphia Randall Cunningham QB Philadelphia Marcus Allen RB Kansas City Dan Marino QB Miami Jim Harbaugh QB Indianapolis Garrison Hearst RB Arizona Jerome Bettis RB Pittsburgh Robert Brooks WR Green Bay Doug Flutie QB Buffalo Bryant Young DT San Francisco Joe Johnson DE New Orleans Garrison Hearst RB San Francisco Tommy Maddox QB Pittsburgh Jon Kitna QB Cincinnati Willis McGahee RB Buffalo Steve Smith WR Carolina Chad Pennington QB NY Jets Randy Moss WR New England Chad Pennington QB Miami Tom Brady QB New England Michael Vick QB Philadelphia Matthew Stafford QB Detroit Adrian Peterson RB Minnesota Philip Rivers QB San Diego Rob Gronkowski TE New England Eric Berry S Kansas City Jordy Nelson WR Green Bay Keenan Allen WR LA Chargers Andrew Luck QB Indianapolis Ryan Tannehill QB Tennessee Josh Allen QB Buffalo Joe Burrow QB Cincinnati Geno Smith QB Seattle Damar Hamlin S Buffalo Joe Burrow QB Cincinnati Christian McCaffrey RB San Francisco
The Sporting News Season Player Position Team Antonio Bryant WR Tampa Bay The Sporting News. (January 15, 2009). SN's Comeback Player of the Year: Antonio Bryant The Sporting News Retrieved December 20, 2009. Vince Young QB Tennessee 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. Michael Vick QB Philadelphia Plaxico Burress WR NY Jets Adrian Peterson RB Minnesota Darrelle Revis CB Tampa Bay Rob Gronkowski TE New England Carson Palmer QB Arizona Jordy Nelson WR Green Bay Keenan Allen WR LA Chargers Andrew Luck QB Indianapolis Jimmy Garoppolo QB San Francisco Alex Smith QB Washington Joe Burrow QB Cincinnati Geno Smith QB Seattle Tua Tagovailoa QB Miami Sam Darnold QB Minnesota Christian McCaffrey RB San Francisco
See also List of NFL awards
References