The NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award is presented to the player who has played well after overcoming the greatest adversity in the previous season. While the criteria for earning the honor can vary, each winner has faced and overcome significant challenges along the way.
List of NFL Comeback Player of the Year Winners
The Associated Press, which oversees the NFL’s major awards voted on by a nationwide panel of 50 media members, issued a clarification in June 2024 to reduce ambiguity surrounding the Comeback Player of the Year award.
According to AP senior NFL writer Rob Maaddi, who supervises All-Pro and awards voting, the update is intended to ensure the honor remains centered on players who overcome adversity related to health issues or time away from the field.
The first recipients of the award were Baltimore Colts placekicker Jim Martin and San Diego Chargers running back Paul Lowe. They were named co-winners because when the award debuted in 1963, the Associated Press (AP) selected one winner from the NFL and one from the AFL.
After naming winners for four seasons, the AP discontinued voting on the award from 1967 through 1997. That decision followed the announcement of the NFL–AFL merger in 1966. The AP eventually revived the award in 1998.
Since its return, quarterbacks have largely dominated the honor. From 2008 to 2013, the award was claimed by quarterbacks in six consecutive seasons, underscoring the position’s prominence in comeback narratives.
The complete list of the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award winners is:
- 1963 – Jim Martin, K, Baltimore Colts, and Paul Lowe, RB, San Diego Chargers
- 1964 – Lenny Moore, HB, Baltimore Colts, and Abner Haynes, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
- 1965 – John Brodie, QB, San Francisco 49ers, and Paul Lowe, RB, San Diego Chargers
- 1966 – Dick Bass, FB, Los Angeles Rams, and Babe Parilli, QB, Boston Patriots
*The Associated Press did not give an award for Comeback Player of the Year between 1967 and 1997.
- 1998 – Doug Flutie, QB, Buffalo Bills
- 1999 – Bryant Young, DT, San Francisco 49ers
- 2000 – Joe Johnson, DE, New Orleans Saints
- 2001 – Garrison Hearst, RB, San Francisco 49ers
- 2002 – Tommy Maddox, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 2003 – Jon Kitna, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
- 2004 – Drew Brees, QB, San Diego Chargers
- 2005 – Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers, and Tedy Bruschi, LB, New England Patriots
- 2006 – Chad Pennington, QB, New York Jets
- 2007 – Greg Ellis, DE, Dallas Cowboys
- 2008 – Chad Pennington, QB, Miami Dolphins
- 2009 – Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots
- 2010 – Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
- 2011 – Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions
- 2012 – Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos
- 2013 – Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers
- 2014 – Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots
- 2015 – Eric Berry, S, Kansas City Chiefs
- 2016 – Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers
- 2017 – Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
- 2018 – Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts
- 2019 – Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans
- 2020 – Alex Smith, QB, Washington Football Team
- 2021 – Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
- 2022 – Geno Smith, QB, Seattle Seahawks
- 2023 – Joe Flacco, QB, Cleveland Browns
- 2024 – Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
