Top 10 Best NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award Candidates for 2019

As the NFL regular season wraps up, it's time to start looking at the stats.

Award season is coming, so it's time to decide which players deserve recognition.

The Top Ten

  1. Jimmy Garoppolo

    After tearing his ACL in Week 3 last year, the 49ers' season was lost. They had a 4-12 record at the end of the season. Coming into this season, expectations were low for Garoppolo, even though he had only lost two starts in his career. Many people doubted him.

    Now, after Week 16, Garoppolo is a top-ten quarterback in the league, especially on third down, where his 106.9 passer rating is good for fifth in the league. He has led the 49ers to a 12-3 record and a playoff spot.

    I think this year, it has to be Garoppolo.

  2. Cooper Kupp

    After several injuries last year that led up to an ACL tear in Week 10, Cooper Kupp is back to the player he was in his rookie season. He has 1,062 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns so far this season.

  3. Earl Thomas

    Earl Thomas III, born May 7, 1989, is a former American football safety. He played nine seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, earning six Pro Bowl selections and helping the team win Super Bowl XLVIII. Thomas spent his final NFL season with the Baltimore Ravens in 2019.

    Last season, Earl Thomas infamously flipped off the Seahawks sideline after breaking his leg during a game. Unsurprisingly, he left the team in the offseason to sign with the Baltimore Ravens. This year, he has made the Pro Bowl, intercepted two passes, sacked the quarterback twice, and has been excellent in coverage.

  4. Darren Waller

    After spending his first few years in the NFL battling substance abuse, as shown on Hard Knocks, the Raiders picked up Waller off the Ravens' practice squad. It seemed like an odd move. This year, he has 84 receptions for 1,038 yards. He has turned into one of the best tight ends in the league.

  5. Hunter Henry

    After a strong rookie season in 2017, Hunter Henry tore his ACL. This put him out for the entire 2018 season, including a wildcard win over the Ravens. This year, he has 610 receiving yards and is one of the top ten tight ends in the league.

  6. Travis Frederick

    Travis Frederick, born on March 18, 1991, is a former American football center who played his entire professional career with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL. He was a first-round draft pick in 2013 and earned five Pro Bowl selections. Frederick retired in March 2020 at age 29 after being diagnosed with... read more

    After missing all of last season due to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which is basically when your immune system attacks your nerves, potentially causing loss of feeling and/or paralysis, Frederick returned. It's a very rare condition. After a lengthy rehabilitation, Frederick was selected to the Pro Bowl this year and is a nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

  7. Everson Griffen

    Last season, Griffen missed five games due to his mental health. This season, he has 8 sacks and one interception. He is one of the Vikings' best defenders.

  8. Brandon Brooks

    After rupturing his Achilles tendon last season in the playoffs, Brooks set his eyes on returning by the start of this season. And that he did, seemingly contrary to what everyone expected.

  9. Leonard Fournette

    Leonard Joseph Fournette III is an American professional football running back. He played college football at LSU and was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2017. He later played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was briefly on the Buffalo Bills roster in 2023. As of 2024, he is a free agent.

    After playing only half of the season last year, it's a bit of an understatement to say that Fournette is having a good year. He has rushed for 1,152 yards this season and has become one of the league's leading running backs.

  10. Deion Jones

    After missing the majority of last season due to injury, Jones has been a great player on a struggling Atlanta team. He's had over 100 tackles this season.

    11. The Contenders

  11. Ryan Tannehill

    Ryan Timothy Tannehill III is an American football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League. He was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft and played with them until 2018. Tannehill revitalized his career with the Titans, leading them to the... read more

  12. Dalvin Cook

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