The NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award is given out to a player who has overcome adversity like for example being out of the NFL the previous year, suffering a severe injury or just plain poor play. The award has been given out every year since 1972 except for 1985.
 

Season	Player	Team	Position
2006	Chad Pennington	New York Jets	QB
2005	Tedy Bruschi	New England Patriots	LB
	Steve Smith	Carolina Panthers	WR
2004	Drew Brees	San Diego Chargers	QB
2003	Jon Kitna	Cincinnati Bengals	QB
2002	Tommy Maddox	Pittsburgh Steelers	QB
2001	Garrison Hearst	San Francisco 49ers	RB
2000	Joe Johnson	New Orleans Saints	DE
1999	Bryant Young	San Francisco 49ers	DT
1998	Doug Flutie	Buffalo Bills	QB
1997	Robert Brooks	Green Bay Packers	WR
1996	Jerome Bettis	Pittsburgh Steelers	RB
1995	Jim Harbaugh	Indianapolis Colts	QB
	Garrison Hearst	Arizona Cardinals	RB
1994	Dan Marino	Miami Dolphins	QB
1993	Marcus Allen	Kansas City Chiefs	RB
1992	Randall Cunningham	Philadelphia Eagles	QB
1991	Jim McMahon	Philadelphia Eagles	QB
1990	Barry Word	Kansas City Chiefs	RB
1989	Ottis Anderson	New York Giants	RB
1988	Greg Bell	Los Angeles Rams	RB
1987	Charles White	Los Angeles Rams	RB
1986	Joe Montana	San Francisco 49ers	QB
	Tommy Kramer	Minnesota Vikings	QB
1985	No selection
1984	John Stallworth	Pittsburgh Steelers	WR
1983	Billy Johnson	Atlanta Falcons	WR/PR
1982	Lyle Alzado	Los Angeles Raiders	DE
1981	Ken Anderson	Cincinnati Bengals	QB
1980	Jim Plunkett	Oakland Raiders	QB
1979	Larry Csonka	Miami Dolphins	RB
1978	John Riggins	Washington Redskins	RB
1977	Craig Morton	Denver Broncos	QB
1976	Greg Landry	Detroit Lions	QB
1975	Dave Hampton	Atlanta Falcons	RB
1974	Joe Namath	New York Jets	QB
1973	Roman Gabriel	Philadelphia Eagles	QB
1972	Earl Morrall	Miami Dolphins	QB