While the final four teams in the NFL postseason battle for a spot in Super Bowl LVII, the league has announced the finalists for the regular season awards. Some of the top players in the game grace the lists that range from MVP to Offensive Player of the Year, and the winners will be reveled during the week leading up to the big game.
NFL Releases Comeback Player of the Year Candidates
AP Comeback Player of the Year finalists:
– Damar Hamlin
– Joe Flacco
– Matthew Stafford
– Baker Mayfield
– Tua TagovailoaFinal results announced on February 8th at the NFL Honors.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 25, 2024
One of the more intriguing and talked about award races is the one for Comeback Player of the Year. Typically reserved for players who have an impressive statistical season following one that was marred either by injury or poor play, this year’s award has a bit of a different discussion around it.
The NFL released the finalists for CBPOY on Thursday morning, and we take a look at the case for each candidate:
Damar Hamlin – Buffalo Bills
Hamlin’s story was one of the biggest headline grabbers of the past 12 months, as he returned to the field this season after collapsing due to a heart issue during a Monday night game in January 2023. But there have been questions surrounding his candidacy for the award, as he played in just 17 total defensive snaps during this past regular season and had a grand total of two tackles.
Hamlin’s most notable play of the season was the failed fake punt that the Bills fan in the 4th quarter of their playoff game against the Chiefs.
Joe Flacco – Cleveland Browns
He only played during the latter portion of the season, but there was no denying the impact that Flacco had on the Browns during their playoff push. He and the team fizzled out in the Wild Card Round, but 5 straight 300+ yard passing games and a 4-1 record down the stretch is enough to make him one of the favorites.
Matthew Stafford – Los Angeles Rams
Stafford played in just 9 games in 2022 after suffering a back injury, but he came back in 2023 to finish 6th in the league in yards per game while throwing for 24 touchdowns and being named to the Pro Bowl. Perhaps most importantly, he was a major catalyst in the Rams going 7-1 down the stretch and securing a playoff spot after starting off 3-6.
Baker Mayfield – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mayfield was one of the more pleasant surprises of the 2023 NFL season, as he was one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league for the year while leading his team to an NFC South title and a wild card playoff win. But does he have the numbers to compete with Stafford or the story to compete with Flacco and Hamlin?
Tua Tagovailoa – Miami Dolphins
His candidacy for the award ended rather early, but coming back from a concussion-marred season in 2022 to become an early-season MVP candidate put Tagovailoa on the CBPOY map. He and his team faded at the end of the year, and it is unlikely that he’ll garner much of any consideration despite leading the league in passing yards.
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