For the second time in his NFL career, Joe Burrow has capped his return from a season-ending injury by claiming one of the league’s top honors.
The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award on Thursday at NFL Honors. He is only the second player to ever win the award twice after Chad Pennington did so with the New York Jets in 2006 and Miami Dolphins in 2008.
Burrow beat out Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold as well as Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins, New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez and Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
Burrow led the NFL in passing yards (4,918) and passing touchdowns (43) this season after missing the final seven games of the 2023 campaign with a torn ligament in his wrist. He became the third quarterback to have at least 4,500 passing yards, 40 passing touchdowns and fewer than 10 interceptions, joining Tom Brady in 2007 and Aaron Rodgers in 2011.
Despite mounting a late push for the playoffs by ending the season on a five-game win streak, Cincinnati fell short of the postseason for the second consecutive year when it didn’t land the help it needed from other teams to clinch a wild-card berth.
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He was also a finalist for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year, with Bengals teammate Ja’Marr Chase joining him in the latter category.
Burrow also won the award in 2021 after his rookie season was cut short by a knee injury that included multiple torn ligaments.
Burrow, who was also a finalist for MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, told USA TODAY Sports earlier Thursday he believes he has a good of a case as anyone for the former award.
‘I don’t think anybody was playing any better than I was this year,’ Burrow said. ‘I doubt I win the award, but I think I was playing my best ball.’
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