The NFL Comeback Player of the Year is one of the most respectable annual awards an NFL player can win. The award recognizes the player who overcame the most adversity to put together a strong performance in the regular season.
The criteria for the award range from suffering an injury, dealing with an illness, or any other circumstances that resulted in someone missing playing time last year. It’s a broad selection process, but one that generally favors formerly injured players.
Here are the top candidates for Comeback Player of the Year for all 32 NFL teams.
Arizona Cardinals: Justin Jones
The Arizona Cardinals signed Justin Jones to a deal worth over $30 million last offseason, so they clearly value him along their interior defensive line. Year 1 of his contract just didn’t work out the way he hoped.
That’s not Jones’ fault by any means, as he tore his triceps early in the season. With 72 career starts, he should be a welcome addition back on an Arizona defensive line that was a major weakness last season.
Atlanta Falcons: Ruke Orhorhoro
Kirk Cousins could be a sneaky Comeback Player of the Year candidate if Michael Penix Jr. were to go down with an injury. Other than him, though, the Atlanta Falcons don’t have a realistic Comeback Player of the Year option.
Ruke Orhorhoro could be a bounce-back player to watch, however. He played in just eight games as a second-round rookie last year, only tallying 11 tackles with no sacks. He’s an athletic defensive tackle who projects as a backup for Atlanta this year, but he showed plenty of NFL starter upside during his time at Clemson.
Baltimore Ravens: Jaire Alexander
An All-Pro caliber cornerback who’s been slowed by injuries, Jaire Alexander has a lot to prove in the upcoming 2025 season. He’s missed a total of 20 games over the last two seasons.
Waived after seven years in Green Bay, Alexander finds himself in line to start now for the Baltimore Ravens. He’s surrounded by tremendous talent in their secondary, along with a gifted defensive line generating pressure in front of him. He should have plenty of chances to make plays on the ball and put up numbers if his play rebounds post-injury.
Compensation update: Former Packers CB Jaire Alexander signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Ravens. He turned down more to be in Baltimore with his former college teammate, Lamar Jackson. pic.twitter.com/AWaYoeXh6k
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 18, 2025
Buffalo Bills: Matt Milano
For each of the last three seasons, Damar Hamlin has generated Comeback Player of the Year votes. This year, though, the Buffalo Bills have another strong candidate in Matt Milano.
Milano is coming off consecutive season-ending injuries. He fractured his leg in 2023 and tore his biceps in 2024. He’s played a combined nine games in the last two seasons. If he can stay healthy and maintain his starting job this season, he should at least be a finalist for the award.
Carolina Panthers: D.J. Wonnum
The Carolina Panthers brought in competition for D.J. Wonnum off the edge this offseason. After signing Patrick Jones II and drafting both Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen, they’ve significantly boosted the edge rusher room.
Despite missing more than half of 2024, Wonnum still had four sacks and also had eight sacks in 15 games for Minnesota in 2023. He should be considered the favorite to earn a starting job in Carolina. If he keeps up a similar pace of production, he should get Comeback Player of the Year votes.
Chicago Bears: Jonah Jackson
An offensive lineman has never won Comeback Player of the Year. Could Jonah Jackson become the first in 2025?
It’s unlikely, and his selection here points more to the Chicago Bears’ lack of applicable candidates. Jackson has been through adversity, though. He signed a $51 million deal with the Rams in 2024, got injured early in the year, and ended up benched and traded. That all happened within one year of being a prized free-agent acquisition.
Cincinnati Bengals: Dax Hill
The Cincinnati Bengals have the reigning Comeback Player of the Year in Joe Burrow on their roster. He won’t win the award again in 2025, and they admittedly don’t have a slam-dunk candidate this year like they did going into last season.
Dax Hill will be an interesting bounce-back candidate to watch, regardless. He’s been a starting cornerback for them each of the last two seasons, though he only played in five games last year due to injury.
Cleveland Browns: Dawand Jones
Looking at the Cleveland Browns’ roster, they don’t have a slam-dunk Comeback Player of the Year candidate on their team this year. If there’s one who would best fit that bill, it might be offensive tackle Dawand Jones.
The Browns’ projected starting left tackle this season, Jones missed the final seven games of 2024 on the injured reserve. He’s a talented young lineman, but as previously mentioned, a blocker has never one the award before.
Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott
As the odds-on favorite to win Comeback Player of the Year at multiple betting apps, it’s fair to say Dak Prescott is a prime candidate to win the award if he stays healthy.
A major hamstring injury limited Prescott to eight games in 2024, the fewest he’s played in a season since 2020. In each of his last three healthy seasons, he’s surpassed 4,000 passing yards. The last seven winners of the award are all quarterbacks. That makes Prescott a heavy favorite this year.
Denver Broncos: Evan Engram
After catching a career-high 114 passes in a Pro Bowl season in 2023, Evan Engram fell back down to Earth in 2024 after missing eight games due to injury.
Engram has since been released by Jacksonville and signed with the Denver Broncos. Head coach Sean Payton has gotten good use out of tight ends like Jimmy Graham and Jared Cook in his career. Engram projects as Denver’s starter at the position, which could see a lot of targets come his way.
Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchinson
Before getting hurt in 2024, Aidan Hutchinson was on pace to have a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber season. In just five games, he had an outstanding 7.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hits off the edge.
His return is a major benefit for the Detroit Lions in 2025 as they push for a third NFC North title in a row. Hutchinson has proven to be an elite edge rusher. If he stays healthy, he’ll not only be a strong Comeback Player of the Year contender, but he’ll get his fair share of DPOY looks, too.
Green Bay Packers: Christian Watson
Christian Watson managed to play most of the 2024 season, finishing with 620 yards on 29 catches. However, a torn ACL in the Green Bay Packers’ final game of the year makes him a strong Comeback Player of the Year prospect, depending on his availability this season.
The injury came at a bad time for Watson, who’s in a contract year and hasn’t quite lived up to expectations upon his second-round selection in 2022. He’s a freakish athlete at 6’4″ who can stretch the field at an elite level. It remains to be seen if he can put it all together from a high-volume perspective, though.
Houston Texans: Nick Chubb
Nick Chubb has been through the ringer the last two seasons. He tore his MCL and damaged his ACL before the 2023 season, and he broke his foot last year. Now, he heads to a new team after a seven-season stint in Cleveland, hoping for a fresh start.
With Joe Mixon as the Houston Texans’ lead running back, Chubb might not take on a heavy workload. If Mixon were to go down with an injury of his own, however, Chubb’s history of adversity could make him a strong Comeback Player of the Year candidate. After all, he placed eighth in voting for the award last year with just one injury instead of two.
Nick Chubb is a HUGE signing for the Texans#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Su15j9BBnH
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 9, 2025
Indianapolis Colts: Anthony Richardson
Both Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones make sense as Comeback Player of the Year candidates, considering both missed time last year after getting benched. However, Richardson projects as the stronger candidate to win the starting quarterback job for the Indianapolis Colts.
Richardson missed six games in 2024, and he missed mandatory minicamp this offseason with a shoulder injury. He’s a physical specimen with a cannon of an arm, elite athleticism, and a solid group of weapons around him. He’s just struggled with inaccuracy and decision-making. If that improves in 2025, however, he’ll turn some heads.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence
It was a rough 2024 for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and part of that was due to Trevor Lawrence missing time. He missed seven games and dealt with both shoulder issues and a major concussion.
Before his injury-shortened 2024 season, Lawrence went at least .500 in both of his previous two seasons and surpassed 4,000 passing yards both times. If he can stay healthy in 2025, he has the talent and the weapons around him to put up the numbers to make him a strong Comeback Player of the Year contender.
Kansas City Chiefs: Rashee Rice
Rashee Rice only played in four games in 2024, suffering a major knee injury early in his second season in the NFL. He returns in Year 3 as a projected top target for Patrick Mahomes on the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense.
In the four games Rice played, he averaged 72 yards per game. That pace would have him at 1,224 receiving yards if he kept that going for a full 17 games. The Chiefs value his presence in the offense, and he should put up big numbers in 2025 if he bounces back from his injury.
Las Vegas Raiders: Maxx Crosby
Maxx Crosby put up good numbers in 2024, as he finished the year as a Pro Bowl with 7.5 sacks. However, he played through an ankle injury he suffered early in the year that ended up costing him five games of the season.
After undergoing surgery for his injury, Crosby projects as a key contributor for the Las Vegas Raiders as one of the top edge rushers in the NFL. Don’t sleep on him as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate if he stays healthy, as well as a Comeback Player of the Year prospect.
Los Angeles Chargers: Tony Jefferson
The Los Angeles Chargers don’t have a slam-dunk Comeback Player of the Year candidate on their roster this season. However, one underrated storyline last year was Tony Jefferson coming out of retirement to contribute to their defense.
Jefferson spent part of the year on the practice squad after sitting out all of 2023 and serving as a scout for the Ravens’ organization. Once promoted to the Chargers’ active roster, he played in eight games and started four. After getting re-signed this offseason, his story is a fun one that deserves recognition.
Los Angeles Rams: Puka Nacua
Other players on this list may have missed more time than Puka Nacua, as he still played in 11 games in 2024. That said, the magnitude of his star power could make him a strong Comeback Player of the Year prospect.
Nacua was a Pro Bowler out of nowhere as a rookie in 2023, catching 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged more yards per game in 2024, as he would’ve reached 1,530 yards at his pace over 17 games. It’s a realistic possibility that he reaches those numbers in Year 3.
Miami Dolphins: Jaelan Phillips
Tua Tagovailoa would be another strong candidate here, but Jaelan Phillips missed more time in 2024 due to injury. He’s been a promising edge rusher for the Miami Dolphins, tallying 23 sacks over 46 games.
However, Phillips has missed 22 games in the last two seasons due to injury. He’s a gifted young edge rusher who’s produced well for Miami when healthy. He could be a serious Comeback Player of the Year prospect if he stays on the field, but that’s been an issue for him in recent seasons.
Minnesota Vikings: J.J. McCarthy
J.J. McCarthy suffered a torn meniscus in the 2024 preseason, which saw him miss the entirety of his rookie season. However, he heads into Year 2 in a perfect situation to succeed.
The Minnesota Vikings have a great head coach in Kevin O’Connell, a talented group of weapons, and a solid offensive line. If McCarthy bounces back from his injury well, he’ll be a strong contender for Comeback Player of the Year.
New England Patriots: Stefon Diggs
It’s been a whirlwind of a year for Stefon Diggs, as he tore his ACL in his only season with the Texans before signing with the New England Patriots this offseason. He was also filmed handing out an unknown pink substance on a boat in a controversial video leaked before minicamp.
If Diggs can bounce back from all of that, he has a clear path to success in New England. He doesn’t face much competition for their WR1 role, and he had six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons before his injury-shortened 2024. If he reaches his prior level of production, he’ll be one of the more remarkable comeback stories in the league.
New Orleans Saints: Chris Olave
With two straight 1,000-yard seasons to kick off his NFL career, the New Orleans Saints clearly have a talented young wide receiver in Chris Olave. It’s just a shame he’s dealt with as many concussions as he has.
Olave played in just eight games in 2024, having suffered two concussions in the same year. Head injuries are a major issue, and it’s something the Saints will have to be cautious with. Given his recent production, though, Olave has given them plenty to be excited about if he can stay healthy.
New York Giants: Paulson Adebo
The New York Giants weren’t scared off by Paulson Adebo suffering a season-ending broken femur in 2024, signing him to a $54 million deal this offseason. Assuming he returns to form, that could prove to be a great value signing.
Adebo had three interceptions in just seven games for the Saints in 2024. He also had four picks in 2023; he’s a serious playmaker at cornerback who could put up some big numbers in New York’s secondary.
New York Jets: Jermaine Johnson II
Jermaine Johnson II put together a promising rookie year in 2023, finishing with 7.5 sacks and making it to the Pro Bowl. A torn Achilles tendon two games into the year prevented him from building off that momentum in Year 2, however.
Johnson faces a lot less competition for snaps in the New York Jets’ edge rusher room than he did in his impressive rookie year. Bryce Huff and John Franklin-Myers won’t be factoring in for snaps like in 2023. This should give Johnson plenty of chances to make big plays in opposing backfields this season.
Philadelphia Eagles: AJ Dillon
The Philadelphia Eagles don’t have any runaway contenders for Comeback Player of the Year going into 2025, as they were pretty healthy in their Super Bowl run last year. That said, they have a strong bounce-back candidate in running back AJ Dillon.
Dillon missed the entire 2024 season for Green Bay due to a neck injury. Before that, he had been a key part of their backfield with a combined 2,186 rushing yards from 2021 to 2023. He’ll back up Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia, but he still figures to be a solid contribution to their offense.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Roman Wilson
It was a rough rookie year for Roman Wilson, as he only played on five offensive snaps for all of 2024. The third-round wide receiver dealt with ankle and hamstring injuries throughout the season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers traded for DK Metcalf and shipped away George Pickens this offseason. The rest of the wide receiver room is suspect, which leaves an opportunity for Wilson to break out if he can stay healthy. Keep an eye on him as a deep sleeper going into 2025.
San Francisco 49ers: Christian McCaffrey
The San Francisco 49ers dealt with several key injuries in their 2024 season from hell. Brandon Aiyuk, Javon Hargrave, Talanoa Hufanga, and Jordan Mason were all among those who missed time due to injury. In the end, perhaps no absence was as impactful as that of Christian McCaffrey.
After winning Offensive Player of the Year with 2,023 scrimmage yards and 21 total touchdowns in 2023, McCaffrey played just four games in 2024. Injuries have been an issue for him before, as he played just 10 games from 2021 to 2022. However, he’s an elite running back and will be a strong Comeback Player of the Year contender if healthy.
Seattle Seahawks: Cooper Kupp
Cooper Kupp had one of the most impressive wide receiver seasons in recent memory when he hit the Triple Crown by leading the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns in 2021. Since then, he’s missed a total of 18 games due to injury.
It’s tough to see Kupp fall short of 1,000 yards each year when he’s been capable of doing so when healthy. Now on the Seattle Seahawks, time will tell if this is the year he manages to stay healthy for a full 17-game season again.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chris Godwin
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC South with an impressive aerial attack led by Baker Mayfield last year. That unit is even more impressive when you consider Chris Godwin missed ten games due to an ankle injury.
Godwin has had four 1,000-yard seasons for the Buccaneers, including three consecutive seasons past that mark before 2024. He averaged 82.3 yards per game before getting hurt, which is a 1,399-yard pace over 17 games. He’ll be a leading candidate for Comeback Player of the Year if he can stay healthy.
Tennessee Titans: L’Jarius Sneed
Hopes were high for the Tennessee Titans when they traded for L’Jarius Sneed after he started in 59 games for Kansas City as a two-time Super Bowl champion. However, a quadriceps strain limited him to just five games in 2024.
Sneed had a combined ten interceptions and 40 pass deflections in his four seasons with the Chiefs. He still enters 2025 as the Titans’ projected top cornerback, and he should have plenty of chances to put up numbers if he lines up often against opposing teams’ top wide receivers.
Washington Commanders: Marshon Lattimore
The Washington Commanders were the biggest surprise team of the 2024 NFL season. They took advantage of that contending approach by trading for Marshon Lattimore, even as he dealt with a hamstring injury.
Unfortunately for all parties involved, Lattimore aggravated his hamstring injury in his second game back from injury in Washington. He’s a four-time Pro Bowler who put up major pass breakup numbers at his peak, and he could replicate that with the Commanders if he stays healthy for a full season.
