The NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award has been given out after every season since 1972 (except for 1985) by Pro Football Weekly. The player named Comeback Player of the Year shows perseverance in overcoming adversity, in the form of not being in the NFL the previous year, a severe injury, or simply poor performance. Beginning in 1992 the Pro Football Writers of America and Pro Football Weekly combined for their awards, including the comeback player of the year, and it continues to this day. In 1962 the United Press International 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, 1963, the Associated Press instituted a similar award. UPI discontinued the award after 1963 and the Associated Press did not give out the award from 1967 to 1998, when the award was re-instituted and given to Doug Flutie. (Prior to 1992, all awards were selected by PFW only)[1] [edit] UPI Winners - 1962 Frank Gifford, WR, New York Giants [2]
- 1963 Ed Brown, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers [3]
[edit] AP winners - 1963 Jim Martin, K, Baltimore Colts (NFL)[4]; Paul Lowe, RB, San Diegeo Chargers (AFL) [5]
- 1964 Lenny Moore, RB, Baltimore Colts (NFL)[6]; Abner Haynes, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (AFL) [7]
- 1965 John Brodie, QB, San Francisco 49ers (NFL) [8]; Paul Lowe, RB, San Diego Chargers (AFL) [9]
- 1966 Dick Bass, RB, Los Angeles Rams (NFL)[10]; Babe Parilli, QB, Boston Patriots (AFL) [11]
- 1967-1997 No award given
- 1998 Doug Flutie, QB, Buffalo [12]
- 1999 Bryant Young, DT, San Francisco [13]
- 2000 Joe Johnson, DE, New Orleans [14]
- 2001 Garrison Hearst, RB, San Francisco[15]
- 2002 Tommy Maddox, QB, Pittsburgh [16]
- 2003 Jon Kitna, QB, Cincinnati [17]
- 2004 Drew Brees, QB, San Diego [18]
- 2005 Tedy Bruschi, LB, New England and Steve Smith, WR, Carolina [19]
- 2006 Chad Pennington, QB, New York Jets [20]
- 2007 Greg Ellis, LB, Dallas [21]
- 2008 Chad Pennington, QB, Miami[22]
[edit] References - ^ PFWA winners Pro Football Weely.com. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ United Press International (1-04-1963).NFL Comeback-of-the-Year Award Voted to Frank Gifford of Giants Hartford Courant, Hartford CT. Retrived 12-20-2009.
- ^ United Press International. (12-21-1963).Steelers' Brown Comeback Winner Lodi News-Sentinel. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Associated Press. (12-14-1963). "Colt Placekicker; Goldbricker Martin Named Info's Ton Comeback" Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Associated Press. (1-03-1964). Lowe of Chargers Claims He's Ready For Pat's Defense Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Associated Press. (12-14-1964). Shula, Unitas Honored as Top Coach, Player Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Associated Press. (12-17-1964) Haynes Cited for Comeback New York Times. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Associated Press. (12-24-1965)Brown Is Named Player of Year; In Other Words, Most Valuable New York Times. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Associated Press. (12-17-1965). Lowe Named Comback Player of the Year. The Gettysburg Times, PA. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Associated Press. (12-17-1966). RAMS' BASS NAMED NFL'S COMEBACK PLAYER OF YEAR Los Angeles Times. Reference 12-20-2009.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Associated Press. (1-08-1999) Flutie wins inaugural comeback player honorThe Sun - Baltimore, Md. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Associated Press. (1-07-2000).BRYANT YOUNG IS COMEBACK PLAYER OF YEAR Chicago Tribune - Chicago, Ill. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Associated Press. (12-28-2000). Johnson is NFL Comeback Player of Year CBC.ca.com. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Associated Press. (1-11-2002). Garrison Hearst wins Comeback Player of the Year award San Jose Mercury News (San Jose, CA). Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Associated Press. (1-02-2003). Maddox is NFL Comeback Player of Year CBC.ca.com. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Wilner, Barry. (1-02-2004) Kitna edges Carter, Brown for AP Comeback Player honor USA Today.com. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Associated Press. (1-10-2005). Brees is NFL comeback player of year CBC.ca.com. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Curran, Tom. (01-06-2006). Pats' Bruschi shares Comeback Player award Providence Journal, Providence, RI. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Associated Press. (1-04-2007)Pennington named Comeback Player of the Year Monsters and Critics.com. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ Bensch, Bob. (1-12-2008). Cowboys' Greg Ellis Named NFL's Comeback Player of the Year Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 12-20-2009.
- ^ 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.
| NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award | | | | | |
