2024 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Candidates
Injuries plagued the NFL last season for plenty of teams with quarterbacks and other difference-makers going down throughout the season. Teams were decimated with injuries, and some missed the playoffs by a mere swing of things that could have gone the other way if these difference makers hadn’t gone down. The award has gone to five quarterbacks in the previous five years before being given to four positional players from 2014 to 2017. Here are the five most likely candidates to bring home the award in the 2024-25 NFL season.
1. Joe Burrow
The AFC North was one of, if not the most competitive divisions in the National Football League last year with three teams making the playoffs and the Bengals just missing the playoffs with a record of 9-8. Joe Burrow stepped into the league in 2020, taking the reins with ten games started, but started in 16 games during both the 2021 and 2022 seasons. In those two years, Burrow put up 30-plus touchdowns while throwing less than 15 interceptions in each of those two seasons. Unfortunately, Burrow’s season was cut short after just ten games with a torn ligament in his wrist. Having a lot of talent surrounding him with Jamarr Chase and Tee Higgins, Burrow enters the season as the favorite to come away with the award and looks to bring Cincinnati back to the playoffs.
2. Aaron Rodgers
There was a lot of hype surrounding Aaron Rodgers when he shocked the world of football and left Green Bay to join the New York Jets. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see much of him as Rodgers went down in the opening minutes of their season opener when they hosted the Buffalo Bills. Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles but looks to progress back to his normal self this season in what could be one of his last seasons. Rodgers has a load of weapons on this offense with Breece Hall breaking out last season, Garrett Wilson with the steady improvement, and the key acquisition of the former Los Angeles Charger Mike Williams.
3. Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins underwent a change of scenery this offseason when he was traded to the Atlanta Falcons while recovering from an Achilles injury he suffered in week eight of the 2023 NFL season. He was on his way to having one of his best statistical seasons yet with 18 touchdowns and just five interceptions through eight starts and now with the move over to Atlanta looks to shine with young talent all around him with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts all looking for breakout years.
4. Nick Chubb
Nick Chubb is the only non-quarterback on this list due to the talent he offers out of the backfield in Cleveland and the impact they felt when he went down due to a knee injury in week two against the Steelers. The Browns still managed to make the playoffs with the backfield led by Jerome Ford, but Chubb’s presence was definitely missed along their run. Chubb comes into this year hungry with four straight seasons before last year with 1000+ yards rushing and averaging ten touchdowns out of the backfield.
5. Anthony Richardson
The explosiveness and footwork of Anthony Richardson in the three games we saw him in his rookie year were video-game-like with the elusiveness he possessed as a mobile quarterback. The Colts were still able to make the playoffs with a Cinderella run but fell short after an offensive miscue in the wild card game vs the Texans. Richardson hopes to lead Indianapolis back to the playoffs in his sophomore season with Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr, and Josh Downs.
