Forget League MVP, the outrage should be over Comeback Player of the Year

alamo · Dec 15, 2010

I'd be willing to bet Welker's not the only one to suffer an ACL/MCL tear last season and come back close to what he was before. Can't easily look that up though.

Vick didn't play at all for two years, and barely played last year. The point is he had virtually zero stats the past three years and has been mentioned for MVP.
(MVP is a huge stretch, but just the fact some people mention him is an indication of how far back he's come.)

Vick looks like a no-brainer choice.

TX_Patriot · Dec 15, 2010

OK, from Wikipedia:

The player named Comeback Player of the Year shows perseverance in overcoming adversity, in the form of not being in the NFL the previous year, a severe injury, or simply poor performance.

So I guess by that definition, Vick can get it...and I guess deserves it.

signbabybrady · Dec 15, 2010

How about DEION BRANCH for COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR. Since he came back here he has been down right nasty aside from the few weeks he dealt with the hammy and he even produced then.

alamo · Dec 15, 2010

Joe Montana

Checked Wikipedia and saw something interesting that I hadn't remembered from 1986. The league rules about injured reserve have changed since then. Also shows how the rules for this award aren't very well defined or rigid.

Joe Montana won CPoY in 1986 for an injury he suffered in week one of 1986!

In 1986, Montana suffered a severe back injury during week one of the season. The injury was to a spinal disc in Montana's lower back and required immediate surgery. The injury was so severe that Montana's doctors suggested that Montana retire.[23] On September 15, 1986, the 49ers placed Montana on the injured reserve list; however, he returned to the team on November 6 of that year.[24] In his first game back from injury Montana passed for 270 yards and three touchdown passes in a 43-17 49er victory against the St. Louis Cardinals. Despite the fact that Montana appeared in just eight games, and, though he threw more interceptions than touchdown passes for the only time in his career,[24] the 49ers finished the season with a record of 10–5–1. Montana was also the co-recipient of the 1986 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, an award which he shared with Vikings quarterback Tommy Kramer.

Synovia · Dec 15, 2010

Is Wiki wrong there? Isn't november right around Week 6? Sounds kinda like PUP to me. Eh, but he played in week 1....

Whats funny is he got hurt in a game where he threw 45 passes, and his team won 31-7. Running up the score?

RobertWeathers · Dec 15, 2010

Synovia said:
Is Wiki wrong there? Isn't november right around Week 6? Sounds kinda like PUP to me. Eh, but he played in week 1....

Whats funny is he got hurt in a game where he threw 45 passes, and his team won 31-7. Running up the score?

Wiki is wrong. Cool Joe played the opener on 9/7/86 and his 2nd game was 11/9/86.

ScottieC · Dec 15, 2010

Deus Irae said:
Welker started slowly and has improved over time. Vick was lights out from the start.

Vick, Welker or Urlacher.

Take a pick, they are all deserving. Only one will get it.

alamo · Dec 15, 2010

Synovia said:
Is Wiki wrong there? Isn't november right around Week 6? Sounds kinda like PUP to me. Eh, but he played in week 1....

IR was only a minimum numbr of games (4 I think) then, not the whole season. Back in the days before free agency good teams would stash a player on IR rather than release them, and bring them back before the end of the season. Which is why the rules were changed.

Rosters and the practice squad were smaller in past days and there was no gameday inactive list (though I don't remember the timeline of all of these changes, and they didn't happen at once.)

JFK · Dec 15, 2010

Vick is obviously the CPOY by a landslide

brdmaverick · Dec 15, 2010

I think you need to have at least 1 down year to qualify for comeback player of the year. In that regard, Wes doesn't qualify.

DaBruinz · Dec 15, 2010

Vick should NOT be considered for Comeback Player of the Year. He was 100% healthy last season and played in most of the games.

Welker - ACL Injury
EJ Henderson - Broken Leg and also knee damage.
Kevin Curtis - Cancer (though he just signed with the Dolphins)

Greg Camarillo would have been eligible last year when he returned from his ACL injury.

Welker, henderson and Curtis are ALL more deserving than Vick.

Vick, imho, should never be allowed to receive an award from the NFL for the rest of his career.

Armchair Quarterback · Dec 15, 2010

My God this board doesn't ever stop looking for things to get their panties in a bunch about. Week 14 and worried about the GD comeback player of the year award. Who the hell cares? And FWIW Welker absolutely is not eligible for the award as another poster pointed out had 123 catches for 1348 yards in 2009. How are you going to give comeback player of the year award to a player who had better #'s the previous year? If he missed a year he would be eligible.

BradyBranch39 · Dec 15, 2010

um HOW ABOUT BRANCH

eagle eye · Dec 15, 2010

Brian Urlacher would be the guy I'd pick out as having an outstanding season after coming back from injury.

cartmen · Dec 15, 2010

Here is how I see it Vick is a Convict plain and simple. Not Cancer, not a major injury, not even the loss of a close loved one. The guy broke the law and a pretty heinous one at that. I mean really Ray Carrouth is up for parole soon is he gonna have a shot if he comes back?? Oh and FTR not saying Vick was as bad in the man kind scheme of things but what he did shows you how sick his mind goes. No WAY should he win

eagle eye · Dec 15, 2010

cartmen said:
Here is how I see it Vick is a Convict plain and simple. Not Cancer, not a major injury, not even the loss of a close loved one. The guy broke the law and a pretty heinous one at that. I mean really Ray Carrouth is up for parole soon is he gonna have a shot if he comes back?? Oh and FTR not saying Vick was as bad in the man kind scheme of things but what he did shows you how sick his mind goes. No WAY should he win

But showing an incredible improvement in your game makes you eligible for the comeback player of the year. You don't actually have to miss any games.

Compare the last time that Vick was a starter to now and its like two different players. He has improved that much.

cartmen · Dec 15, 2010

eagle eye said:
But showing an incredible improvement in your game makes you eligible for the comeback player of the year. You don't actually have to miss any games.

Compare the last time that Vick was a starter to now and its like two different players. He has improved that much.

yeah cause he was out of work for 2 years for something he brought on himself. He was rusty last year and now look when he plays good D what happens he looses. He hasn't beat a decent defense this year except for the blitz or die NYG

Tunescribe · Dec 16, 2010

I'm sick of Vick the prick. I wish he'd contract a fatal dose of rabies from some wayward cur.

Sivy · Dec 16, 2010

Every Eagles game, I hope for a Vick career ending injury.

stinkypete · Dec 16, 2010

I think this argument is insane.

No rule says the comeback player of the year couldn't have played the year before.

Vick was a former #1 pick, pro bowler and NFL icon. He left the league in the worst disgrace imaginable. Out of nowhere, he's become a top 5 player at any position who could very well lead his team to the Super Bowl. That isn't a comeback? Who cares if he took a few snaps last year?

Welker's an awesome story. His recovery was unprecedented, but he didn't miss any time. The record will show that Wes Welker missed 2 games at the end of last year, and still caught 110+ balls.

Forget League MVP, the outrage should be over Comeback Player of the Year

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