Roundtable: Picking NFL Comeback Player of the Year

Nov 22, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs free safety Eric Berry (29) looks on before the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

MVP, Rookie of the Year and Coach of the Year tend to get the most attention when the football award season begins every year.  However, one category that deserves more is NFL Comeback Player of the Year.  No honor better exemplifies the value of perseverance and hard work in the face of life’s obstacles, be that due to injury or otherwise.

The possible cast of names in the running for this award is bigger than recent years, speaking to how many good stories are out there.  So we asked the Mocks crew who their comeback players are.  Their answers come with a few surprises.

Matthew Holowiak:

Ryan Fitzpatrick has had a season none of us thought he would. He has thrown for just under 3000 yards with 22 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The Jets are still alive in the playoff race and none of us saw it coming on the shoulders of someone like him.

This is the best he has ever looked and he was traded for a 7th round pick. Should at least be in consideration for the award, especially if that teams makes the playoffs.

Shawn Spencer:

Eric Berry. To return to the field after undergoing treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma is one thing, but he’s playing at an elite level right now. He’s playing in coverage a lot more recently and his eight passes defensed are only two shy of his career high. Berry is Pro Football Focus’ top-rated safety and is arguably the most important player on the Chiefs roster.

Eric Robinson:

He probably won’t win but an interesting name to remember is San Francisco 49ers linebacker NaVarro Bowman. The fact that his team is having a down year hurts his chances as not many have seen the impact he’s made but 119 total tackles (2nd in NFL) and has successfully made the return from that devastating knee injury suffered back in January of 2014 that cost him an entire season.

Sayre Bedinger:

All that have been mentioned are great candidates, and I’ll throw in the name of another: Tyrann Mathieu, DB, Cardinals. He’s already matched his career high with 13 games played this season, and were it not for the success of the Cardinals’ offense, he might be getting some serious hype as a defensive MVP.

Of course, we all know J.J. Watt is likely to win that, but after a ‘recovery’ season in which he posted just 37 tackles and one interception, the Honey Badger has 87 tackles this year along with four interceptions, a forced fumble, a sack, and a whopping 15 pass breakups. He is playing out of his mind right now, clearly one of the best defensive backs in the NFL, and is so versatile.

Erik Lambert:

I’m really surprised nobody is talking about Geno Atkins.  The Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle suffered a season-ending injury in 2013 that robbed him of seven games.  It clearly affected him last year as well, as he finished with just three sacks.  Now healthy though, he’s returned to his dominant form and the Bengals are reaping the benefits.  With four games left on the schedule he already matched his tackle total from last season (34) and has eight sacks.  He is the engine that drives that defense.