Patrick Mahomes Stands Alone Among 5 Early Candidates for Comeback Player

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Allen Iverson’s shooting elbow developed bursitis in 2001, so the Philadelphia 76ers athletic trainer customized a long piece of compression stockinette for Iverson’s right arm.

And a global fashion trend left the launching pad at supersonic speed.

A quarter century later, Patrick Mahomes is on a similar path. Including a stop at Thursday’s Texas Tech pro day, he’s made several public appearances with a long, black sleeve covering his entire right leg. The sleeve obviously improves blood flow and preserves strength in his surgically prepared knee. He’s rehabilitating from Dec. 15 surgery to repair his ACL and LCL.

In reality, Mahomes has only played eight NFL seasons, minus his 2017 rookie year in the Chiefs’ bullpen. And in that short career, his trophy case includes three Super Bowl MVPs and two league MVP honors.

Former #TexasTech and current Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is back in Lubbock at the program’s Pro Day. pic.twitter.com/MmxAnnDGHp
— Keith Inglis (@KeithInglisDT) March 26, 2026

He’s about to carve out room for another. But unlike the others, this one is something he only wants to win once.

The 30-year-old quarterback is the league’s best 2026 candidate for comeback player of the year. His campaign launched into the stratosphere on Wednesday afternoon, thanks to his Instagram post.

A PM 15 update per Patrick Mahomes IG. #Chiefs pic.twitter.com/C2kA5q3Syu
— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) March 25, 2026

The post showed Mahomes in that black sleeve executing a flawless seven-step drop, with his own comments, “Day by Day! Felt Great being able to throw the ball around today!”

Punctuated with an on-target emoji and his patented “showtime” alarm clock symbol, Mahomes began throwing exactly 100 days post-surgery. While every ACL injury is different, the quarterback seems light years ahead of Micah Parsons. The Packers’ edge rusher, who tore his ACL only hours after Mahomes on Dec. 14, reportedly is planning to miss the first quarter of the season.

So, unless Parsons miraculously challenges the single-season sacks record established last year by Myles Garrett, Mahomes already has a CPOY leg up on Parsons (no pun intended).

In 2024, the Associated Press clarified voting guidelines for the award: “The spirit of the AP Comeback Player of the Year Award is to honor a player who has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury or other circumstances that led him to miss playing time the previous season.”

In other words, only players like the award’s two most recent winners, Joe Burrow (2024) and Christian McCaffrey (2025) are eligible. Players like Joe Flacco – who came off his couch 12 weeks into the 2023 season and led the Browns to an improbable playoff berth – are no longer candidates. So, here are the leading candidates entering 2026.

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City

Mahomes, who reunites with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, is the surest preseason candidate for the award since Tom Brady in 2009. That’s when Brady returned from a season-ending ACL injury to lead New England back to the playoffs – creating an eerily similar example to inspire Mahomes. Brady, who said he recently inquired with the league about returning to play despite owning a share of the Las Vegas Raiders, said he’ll remain happily retired. He still wouldn’t be eligible for the CPOY.

Michael Penix, Atlanta

Penix sustained a partially torn left ACL in November, so he’s working to be ready by Week 1. But the Falcons just signed Tua Tagovailoa, giving them a pair of left-handed quarterbacks in a muddied competition under new head coach Kevin Stefanski. Tagovailoa’s presence isn’t expected to be more than 2026 – the Falcons are paying him just $1.3 million while the Dolphins eat the majority of his cap space – but his presence could have a serious impact on Penix’s ability to out-distance Mahomes for CPOY.

Tank Dell, Houston

The explosive wide receiver sustained a brutal knee injury, ironically in Kansas City, during a December 2024 game. He’s a fantastic story, especially if he can make an impact for the Texans. Houston has a deep wide-receiver room, though, along with Nico Collins, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.

strou — Dec 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) reacts after an injury to wide receiver Tank Dell (not pictured) during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Malik Nabers, N.Y. Giants

Nabers played against Steve Spagnuolo and the Chiefs in Week 3 but tore his ACL the following week. Like Penix, he’s expected to return at full speed for Week 1. If Nabers can return to his historic form as a 2024 rookie, he could challenge Mahomes and do it under the quarterback’s former offensive coordinator, Matt Nagy.

Daniel Jones, Indianapolis

Jones was cruising toward MVP honors when he and the Colts visited Kansas City on Nov. 23. But a torn right Achilles’ tendon landed him on season-ending injured reserve in November. He just signed a two-year, $88 million contract extension but his return date is uncertain.