Everyone here knows what a great season Jordy Nelson turned in for the Green Bay Packers in 2016. After missing all of 2015 with a torn ACL, Nelson returned with 97 catches, 1,257 yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns.
Is that good enough to win the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award?
Alone, it should be, but you have to consider that Nelson had some pretty decent competition this season. Our second protagonist in this story would be Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell.
Bell tore his MCL in the Steelers’ sixth game of the 2015 season and missed the remainder of that campaign. He returned in 2016 to put up 1,268 rushing yards, 616 receiving yards and nine total touchdowns.
That’s a pretty impressive season for any back.
Unfortunately for Le’Veon Bell, Jordy Nelson appears to have this one sewn up.
He has now won both the Pro Football Writer’s Association’s and the Sporting News’ comeback player awards. The latter is voted on by other players.
In only three other seasons have those two results been the same (2014, 2012, 2010). In two of those three years, the same player won the AP award, which is NFL’s official award.
The PWFA award has also mirrored the AP results in seven of the last eight seasons.
The one anomaly here in both instances is 2012, when both the PFWA and Sporting News went with Adrian Peterson and the AP went with Peyton Manning.
Of course, no guarantees, but if you’re betting on one member of the Green Bay Packers taking home an award at the NFL Honors, you’d be wise to bet on Jordy.
2 Comments
It’s pretty impressive seeing as he didn’t have OTA’s or training camp.
Off Topic: Does anyone else think the Falcons don’t have a chance against the Patriots?
I have my money on the Falcons.