NFL Comeback Player of Year: Cowboys’ Dak Prescott Runner-Up to Bengals’ Joe Burrow
FRISCO - As far as comebacks go, the 2021-22 NFL season offered the pleasure of witnessing two players overcome ghastly injuries to lead their respective teams to bounce-back seasons.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow both underwent strenuous rehab to return months earlier than their estimated timeline in order to be healthy for the start of the season.
Since the first week of the season, NFL Comeback Player of the Year was Prescott’s award to lose. After a gruesome compound ankle fracture and dislocation in Week five in 2020, Prescott's rehab was remarkable and his return was high-profile. Prescott is, without doubt, a deserving candidate.
However, last week Burrow was named the 2021 Comeback Player of the Year by the Pro Football Writers of America. And on Thursday, NFL Honors cited Burrow as the winner, with Dak as the runner-up.
it was a close vote for NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Burrow won with 28 votes. Prescott came in second place with 21.
Burrow had to overcome a torn ACL and MCL in Week 11 in 2020. In his second season, he threw a franchise-record 34 touchdowns and lead the Bengals to the playoffs for the first time since 2015... And he's still playing. Burrow and the Bengals, 4.5-point Super Bowl underdogs, look to upset the Los Angeles Rams to hoist their first-ever Lombardi Trophy
"I'm tired of the underdog narrative," Burrow said after defeating the Titans in the divisional round.
"We're a really, really good team. We're here to make noise and teams are going to have to pay attention to us. We are, like I said, a really good team with really good players and coaches and we're coming for it all."
And now he has come for Comeback Player of the Year ... and for a berth in the Super Bowl, Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.
The Cowboys improved from 6-10 and a third place NFC East finish in 2020 to 11-5 and the division title this year. Prescott broke the franchise record for the most touchdown passes (37) in a single season. His eight games with a 100 passer rating and three passing scores led the NFL in 2021.
He won't be a Comeback candidate next year. Maybe other awards, however, are in store for the Cowboys leader.
