A number ofNFL Comeback Player of the Year awards are given toNational 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 theAssociated Press (AP),Pro Football Writers Association (PFWA),The Sporting News, andUnited Press International (UPI).

From 1963 to 1966, the award was given by theAssociated Press (AP) to both anNFL andAFL player. No award was given between 1966 and 1998.Paul Lowe,Chad Pennington, andJoe Burrow are the only recipients of the award to have won twice.

From 1972 to 1991, the Comeback Player of the Year award was presented byPro Football Weekly (PFW) only. PFW and thePro Football Writers Association (PFWA) combined their awards from 1992 to 2012.^[3]

• 2008 —Antonio Bryant, WR,Tampa Bay Buccaneers^[4]
• 2009 —Vince Young, QB,Tennessee Titans^[5]
• 2010 —Michael Vick, QB,Philadelphia Eagles^[6]
• 2011 —Plaxico Burress, WR,New York Jets^[7]
• 2012 —Adrian Peterson, RB,Minnesota Vikings^[8]
• 2013 —Darrelle Revis, CB,Tampa Bay Buccaneers^[9]
• 2014 —Rob Gronkowski, TE,New England Patriots^[10]
• 2015 —Carson Palmer, QB,Arizona Cardinals^[11]
• 2016 —Jordy Nelson, WR,Green Bay Packers^[12]
• 2017 —Keenan Allen, WR,Los Angeles Chargers^[13]
• 2018 —Andrew Luck, QB,Indianapolis Colts^[14]
• 2019 —Jimmy Garoppolo, QB,San Francisco 49ers^[15]
• 2020 —Alex Smith, QB,Washington Football Team^[16]
• 2021 —Joe Burrow, QB,Cincinnati Bengals^[17]
• 2022 —Geno Smith, QB,Seattle Seahawks
• 2023 —Tua Tagovailoa, QB,Miami Dolphins^[18]
• 2024 —Joe Burrow, QB,Cincinnati Bengals

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 byChuck Bednarik. The following year, theAssociated 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^[19]
• 1963Ed Brown, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers^[20]
• 1964–1968No award given
• 1969Gale Sayers, RB, Chicago Bears

• List of NFL awards

• NFL Comeback Player of the Year winners
• NFL trophies and awards

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use mdy dates from May 2025