List of NFL Comeback Player of the Year awards
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A number of NFL Comeback Player of the Year awards are given to National 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 the Associated Press (AP), Pro Football Writers Association (PFWA), The Sporting News, and United Press International (UPI).
United Press International
In 1962, United Press International (UPI) chose a comeback player of the year 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 subsequently discontinued their award after 1963, with the exception of 1969.
| Season | Player | Position | Team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank Gifford | WR | NY Giants | [3] | |
| Ed Brown | QB | Pittsburgh | [4] | |
| Gale Sayers | RB | Chicago |
Associated Press
From 1963 to 1966, the award was given by the Associated Press (AP) to both an NFL and AFL player. No award was given between 1966 and 1998. Paul Lowe, Chad Pennington, and Joe Burrow are the only recipients of the award to have won twice.
1963–1966
| NFL | AFL | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Player | Position | Team | Season | Player | Position | Team |
| Jim Martin | K | Baltimore | Paul Lowe | RB | San Diego | ||
| Lenny Moore | RB | Baltimore | Abner Haynes | RB | Kansas City | ||
| John Brodie | QB | San Francisco | Paul Lowe | RB | San Diego | ||
| Dick Bass | RB | LA Rams | Babe Parilli | QB | Boston | ||
1998–2025
Pro Football Weekly / Pro Football Writers Association
From 1972 to 1991, the Comeback Player of the Year award was presented by Pro Football Weekly (PFW) only. PFW and the Pro Football Writers Association (PFWA) combined their awards from 1992 to 2012.[5]