National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Award

The National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Award refers to a number of awards that are given to an NFL player who has shown perseverance in overcoming adversity, 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 Weekly/Pro Football Writers Association (PFW/PFWA), Sporting News, and United Press International (UPI).

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

• 1963 Jim Martin, K, Baltimore Colts (NFL);^[2] Paul Lowe, RB, San Diego Chargers (AFL)^[3]
• 1964 Lenny Moore, RB, Baltimore Colts (NFL);^[4] Abner Haynes, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (AFL)^[5]
• 1965 John Brodie, QB, San Francisco 49ers (NFL);^[6] Paul Lowe, RB, San Diego Chargers (AFL)^[7]
• 1966 Dick Bass, RB, Los Angeles Rams (NFL);^[8] Babe Parilli, QB, Boston Patriots (AFL)^[9]
• 1967–1997 No award given
• 1998 Doug Flutie, QB, Buffalo^[10]
• 1999 Bryant Young, DT, San Francisco^[11]
• 2000 Joe Johnson, DE, New Orleans^[12]
• 2001 Garrison Hearst, RB, San Francisco^[13]
• 2002 Tommy Maddox, QB, Pittsburgh^[14]
• 2003 Jon Kitna, QB, Cincinnati^[15]
• 2004 Drew Brees, QB, San Diego^[16]
• 2005 (tie) Tedy Bruschi, LB, New England^[17]
• 2005 (tie) Steve Smith, WR, Carolina^[17]
• 2006 Chad Pennington, QB, New York Jets^[18]
• 2007 Greg Ellis, LB, Dallas^[19]
• 2008 Chad Pennington (2), QB, Miami^[20]
• 2009 Tom Brady, QB, New England^[21]
• 2010 Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia^[22]
• 2011 Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit^[23]
• 2012 Peyton Manning, QB, Denver^[24]
• 2013 Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego^[25]
• 2014 Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England^[26]
• 2015 Eric Berry, S, Kansas City^[27]

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 1992–2012.^[28]

Season	Player	Team	Position
1972	Earl Morrall	Miami Dolphins	Quarterback
1973	Roman Gabriel	Philadelphia Eagles	Quarterback
1974	Joe Namath	New York Jets	Quarterback
1975	Dave Hampton	Atlanta Falcons	Running back
1976	Greg Landry	Detroit Lions	Quarterback
1977	Craig Morton	Denver Broncos	Quarterback
1978	John Riggins	Washington Redskins	Running back
1979	Larry Csonka	Miami Dolphins	Fullback
1980	Jim Plunkett	Oakland Raiders	Quarterback
1981	Ken Anderson	Cincinnati Bengals	Quarterback
1982	Lyle Alzado	Los Angeles Raiders	Defensive end
1983	Billy Johnson	Atlanta Falcons	Wide receiver
1984	John Stallworth	Pittsburgh Steelers	Wide receiver
1985	No Award
1986	Joe Montana Tommy Kramer	San Francisco 49ers Minnesota Vikings	Quarterback Quarterback
1987	Charles White	Los Angeles Rams	Running back
1988	Greg Bell	Los Angeles Rams	Running back
1989	Ottis Anderson	New York Giants	Running back
1990	Barry Word	Kansas City Chiefs	Running back
1991	Jim McMahon	Philadelphia Eagles	Quarterback
1992	Randall Cunningham	Philadelphia Eagles	Quarterback
1993	Marcus Allen	Kansas City Chiefs	Running back
1994	Dan Marino	Miami Dolphins	Quarterback
1995	Jim Harbaugh	Indianapolis Colts	Quarterback
1996	Jerome Bettis	Pittsburgh Steelers	Running back
1997	Robert Brooks	Green Bay Packers	Wide receiver
1998	Doug Flutie	Buffalo Bills	Quarterback
1999	Bryant Young	San Francisco 49ers	Defensive tackle
2000	Joe Johnson	New Orleans Saints	Defensive end
2001	Garrison Hearst	San Francisco 49ers	Running back
2002	Tommy Maddox	Pittsburgh Steelers	Quarterback
2003	Jon Kitna	Cincinnati Bengals	Quarterback
2004	Willis McGahee	Buffalo Bills	Running back
2005	Steve Smith	Carolina Panthers	Wide receiver
2006	Chad Pennington	New York Jets	Quarterback
2007	Randy Moss	New England Patriots	Wide receiver
2008	Chad Pennington (2)	Miami Dolphins	Quarterback
2009	Tom Brady	New England Patriots	Quarterback
2010	Michael Vick	Philadelphia Eagles	Quarterback
2011	Matthew Stafford	Detroit Lions	Quarterback
2012	Adrian Peterson	Minnesota Vikings	Running back
2013	Philip Rivers	San Diego Chargers	Quarterback
2014	Rob Gronkowski	New England Patriots	Tight end
2015	Eric Berry	Kansas City Chiefs	Safety

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^[29]
• 1963 Ed Brown, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers^[30]
• 1964–1968 No award given
• 1969 Gale Sayers, RB, Chicago Bears^[31]

Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year award

• 2008 – Antonio Bryant, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers^[32]
• 2009 – Vince Young, QB, Tennessee Titans^[33]
• 2010 – Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia Eagles^[34]
• 2011 – Plaxico Burress, WR, New York Jets^[35]
• 2012 – Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings^[36]
• 2013 – Darrelle Revis, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers^[37]
• 2014 – Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots
• 2015 – Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals^[38]

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.
2. Associated Press. (12-14-1963). "Colt Placekicker; Goldbricker Martin Named Info's Ton Comeback" Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
3. Associated Press. (1-03-1964). Lowe of Chargers Claims He's Ready For Pat's Defense Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
4. Associated Press. (12-14-1964). Shula, Unitas Honored as Top Coach, Player Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
5. Associated Press. (12-17-1964) Haynes Cited for Comeback New York Times. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
6. Associated Press. (12-24-1965)Brown Is Named Player of Year; In Other Words, Most Valuable New York Times. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
7. Associated Press. (12-17-1965). Lowe Named Comeback Player of the Year. The Gettysburg Times, Pennsylvania. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
8. Associated Press. (12-17-1966). RAMS' BASS NAMED NFL'S COMEBACK PLAYER OF YEAR Los Angeles Times. Reference 12-20-2009.
9. Associated Press. (12-24-1966). BURNETT, PARILLI WIN A.F.L. AWARDS; Named to Rookie of Year and Comeback Honors New York Times. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
10. Associated Press. (1-08-1999) Flutie wins inaugural comeback player honor The Sun – Baltimore Retrieved 12-20-2009.
11. Associated Press. (1-07-2000).BRYANT YOUNG IS COMEBACK PLAYER OF YEAR Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
12. Associated Press. (12-28-2000). Johnson is NFL Comeback Player of Year CBC.ca.com. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
13. Associated Press. (1-11-2002). Garrison Hearst wins Comeback Player of the Year award San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, California). Retrieved 12-20-2009.
14. Associated Press. (1-02-2003). Maddox is NFL Comeback Player of Year CBC.ca.com. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
15. Wilner, Barry. (1-02-2004) Kitna edges Carter, Brown for AP Comeback Player honor USA Today. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
16. Associated Press. (1-10-2005). Brees is NFL comeback player of year CBC.ca.com. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
17. Curran, Tom (6 January 2006). "Pats' Bruschi shares Comeback Player award". The Providence Journal. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
18. Associated Press. (1-04-2007) Pennington named Comeback Player of the Year Monsters and Critics.com Retrieved 12-20-2009.
19. Bensch, Bob. (1-12-2008). Cowboys' Greg Ellis Named NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
20. Holder, Stephen. (1-01-2009) Miami Dolphins QB Chad Pennington truly is comeback player of the year St. Petersburg Times.com Retrieved 12-20-2009.
21. Wilner, Barry (2010-01-06). "Brady named Comeback Player of the Year". NBC Sports. Associated Press. Retrieved 2010-01-06.
22. "Michael Vick wins Comeback POY". espn.com. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
23. "Lions QB Stafford wins Comeback Player of Year". Fox News. 4 February 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
24. "Peyton Manning wins Comeback Player of the Year". NFL.com. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
25. "http://www.chargers.com/news/article-1/Philip-Rivers-Named-NFL-Comeback-Player-of-Year/b49988e3-e01b-4e39-ba96-cf060cb69f9b". External link in |title= (help);
26. "http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000466440/article/rob-gronkowski-wins-comeback-player-of-the-year-award?campaign=twitter_atn". External link in |title= (help);
27. "http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000633361/article/eric-berry-named-nfls-comeback-player-of-the-year". External link in |title= (help);
28. "Comeback Player of the Year". Pro Football Writers Association. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
29. 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.
30. United Press International. (12-21-1963).Steelers' Brown Comeback Winner Lodi News-Sentinel. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
31. United Press International. (12-24-1969). Stellino, Vito. Bear's Sayers Comeback Winner UPI. Retrieved 12-28-2010.
32. Sporting News. (January 15, 2009). SN's Comeback Player of the Year: Antonio Bryant Sporting News.com Retrieved 12-20-2009.
33. Sporting News. (January 14, 2010). Titans QB Vince Young voted Sporting News 2009 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Sporting News.com Retrieved 12-20-2009.</
34. "SN 2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year: Michael Vick". Sporting News. 12 January 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
35. http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2012-01-24/sporting-news-2011-nfl-awards-plaxico-burress-comeback-player-of-the-year
36. http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2013-01-22/adrian-peterson-comeback-player-of-the-year-peyton-manning-vikings
37. "Can't keep Darrelle Revis down; Bucs cornerback named Sporting News' Comeback Player of the Year". sportingnews.com. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
38. "Sporting News NFL awards 2015: Players of the year, All-Pro team, more". SportingNews.