For the second time in his NFL career, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was named the league's Comeback Player of the Year.
During the 2023 season, Burrow dealt with a preseason calf injury and later suffered a torn ligament in his wrist, causing him to miss the end of the year. Burrow returned for the 2024 season healthy, and went on to record the best season statistically of his career.
While Burrow was honored for his achievements coming off an injury the season prior, he acknowledged it's not exactly the award he wants to be nominated for as it means he has come back from a season-ending injury twice in his five-year career.
“I wouldn’t say this is necessarily an award you wanna be nominated for two times,” Burrow said during his acceptance speech. "But I'm proud of the work I've put in to come back from these injuries I seem to face every year. Fortunately I'm healthy this year. I have a great [physical trainers] team around me. ... In the offseason we put together a great plan to help me go play my best on Sundays and come back from these injuries stronger."
He came back from his injury better than ever.
— NFL (@NFL) February 7, 2025
Joe Burrow is your Comeback Player of the Year! @JoeyB
📺: #NFLHonors on FOX & @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/aElWrjh69l
Across the 2024 campaign, Burrow completed 70.6% of his passes for 4,916 yards and 43 touchdowns. He finished first in the NFL in both passing yards and touchdowns. Though the Bengals failed to make the postseason, Burrow's stats did not just amass in garbage time. Burrow regularly kept his team in games throughout the year with his outstanding play, but it wasn't enough to overcome the team's slow start and make the playoffs.
Burrow previously won Comeback Player of the Year in 2021. That season, he rebounded from a torn ACL he suffered his rookie season by throwing for 4,611 and 34 touchdowns. Burrow and the Bengals went on to make the Super Bowl that season.
More of the Latest Around the NFL
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bengals' Joe Burrow Drops Unfortunate Line About Winning Comeback Player of the Year Again.
