After lacking half of the 2023 NFL season, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow returned in 2024 and had not solely the very best season of his profession, but in addition among the best seasons within the league.
It was not sufficient to get the Bengals within the playoffs, however it was sufficient to get Burrow the NFL Comeback Participant of the 12 months Award for the second time in his profession.
Burrow additionally gained the award in 2021 when he returned from an damage that minimize his rookie season quick in 2020.
It is particularly notable as a result of Burrow is simply the second participant in league historical past to win the award two completely different instances.
He joins a particularly quick checklist that features solely quarterback Chad Pennington who gained it in 2006 as a member of the New York Jets and once more two years later as a member of the Miami Dolphins.
Burrow led the league with 460 completions, 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns, whereas additionally throwing simply 9 interceptions.
In most seasons that will have been sufficient to show a staff right into a Tremendous Bowl contender. However as a result of the Bengals protection was so unhealthy, they managed solely a 9-8 document and missed the playoffs for the second 12 months in a row.
On condition that Burrow got here again from a major damage and performed at such an elite stage, he’s a really worthy winner. There was some thought that maybe Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold may win it after the way in which he turned his profession round. However that is the place the award has quite a lot of subjectivity to it.
Is getting back from struggling on the sector and being a backup extra spectacular than getting back from an damage? In previous years it has been, when Joe Flacco gained it a 12 months in the past and Geno Smith gained it the 12 months earlier than that. This 12 months it went to the participant getting back from damage.