The AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year (CBPOY) is an annual award presented by the Associated Press (AP) to a player in the National Football League (NFL). While the criteria for the award is imprecise, it is typically given to a player who overcomes adversity to return to play. The winner is selected by a nationwide panel of media personnel. Since 2011, the award has been presented at the NFL Honors ceremony held in the days leading up to the Super Bowl. Beginning with the 2024 season, the criteria for the award was changed to emphasize players coming back from "illness, physical injury, or other circumstances that led him to miss playing time the previous season", as opposed to players having resurgent performances or "coming back from sucking".
The AP first recognized an NFL comeback player of the year from 1963 to 1966, but these players are typically not included in overall lists of winners. The AP did not give the award again until the 1998 season. Only two players have received the award more than once since the AFL–NFL merger: quarterbacks Chad Pennington (2006 and 2008) and Joe Burrow (2021 and 2024).
Winners 1963–1966 NFLAFL 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 ParilliQB Boston
1998–2025 Season Player Position Team Doug Flutie QB Buffalo Bryant Young DT San Francisco Joe Johnson DE New Orleans Garrison Hearst RB San Francisco Tommy Maddox QB Pittsburgh Jon Kitna QB Cincinnati Drew Brees QB San Diego Tedy Bruschi LB New England Steve Smith Sr. WR Carolina Chad Pennington QB NY Jets Greg Ellis DE Dallas Chad Pennington (2) QB Miami Tom Brady QB New England Michael Vick QB Philadelphia Matthew Stafford QB Detroit Peyton Manning QB Denver Philip Rivers QB San Diego Rob Gronkowski TE New England Eric Berry S Kansas City Jordy Nelson WR Green Bay Keenan Allen WR LA Chargers Andrew Luck QB Indianapolis Ryan Tannehill QB Tennessee Alex Smith QB Washington Joe Burrow QB Cincinnati Geno Smith QB Seattle Joe Flacco QB Cleveland Joe Burrow (2) QB Cincinnati Christian McCaffrey RB San Francisco
Multiple-time winners + List of multiple-time winnersAwardsPlayerTeam(s)Years2Chad PenningtonMiami Dolphins (1) / New York Jets (1)2006, 2008Joe BurrowCincinnati Bengals2021, 2024
See also List of NFL Comeback Player of the Year awards for an overview of similar awards from other organizations
References