During Thursday night’s NFL Honours event, Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco received the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. The 38-year-old did not sign with any team after becoming a free agent at the end of the 2022 season. Despite numerous teams needing quarterbacks throughout the 2023 season, Flacco did not receive a call until later in the season.
The Browns signed Flacco and were immediately rewarded for taking a chance on him. Flacco led Cleveland to a 4-1 record in the final five games of the season, securing a position in the AFC playoffs. He completed 60.3% of his passes, totaling 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Flacco was not the popular choice to win the honour, nor did he garner the most first-place votes. That honour went to Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who collapsed and lay motionless on the field for several minutes against the Cincinnati Bengals last season.
NFL fans believe that Damar Hamlin should have won Comeback Player of the Year instead of Joe Flacco.
While Flacco had a fun story about going from the sofa and playing with his kids to leading the Browns to the playoffs, Hamlin’s story is likely more motivating and deserved of the Comeback Player of the Year award.
Fans from various fanbases expressed on social media that while Flacco’s run was exceptional, it is difficult to claim that it is more deserving of the honour than a man genuinely resurrected.
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