The NFL awards ceremony last year was an intense event with extremely close voting, especially for the Comeback Player of the Year award. Joe Flacco made an incredible comeback after being on the sidelines, narrowly beating out Damar Hamlin in ranked-choice voting to secure the win by total points. Despite Hamlin receiving eight more first-place votes, Flacco managed to emerge victorious.
As we look ahead to this year’s NFL Comeback Player of the Year odds, it is important to familiarize ourselves with the new guidelines that have been sent to voters this offseason. These guidelines, outlined by Senior AP NFL writer Rob Maaddi, emphasize the importance of honoring players who have demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury, or other circumstances that led them to miss playing time the previous season. The goal of these guidelines is to ensure that players like Flacco, who simply bounced back from a poor performance, are less likely to win the award in 2024.
Flacco’s journey back to the field was nothing short of remarkable. After being signed to the Browns’ practice squad, he was thrust into the starting lineup following injuries and lackluster performances by other quarterbacks. He led Cleveland to a 4-1 record in December, culminating in a primetime victory over the Jets that had many pundits advocating for his Comeback Player of the Year candidacy.
In the 2023 voting recap, Flacco’s impressive showing was evident. While Hamlin received more first-place votes, Flacco’s strong presence in the second-place votes ultimately secured him the award. The point breakdown clearly showed Flacco’s widespread support among voters.
Looking ahead to the 2024 season, it’s important to note that the new guidelines for the Comeback Player of the Year award may shift the focus towards players who have overcome significant adversity. This means that candidates like Flacco, who simply had a bounce-back year, may not be as favored by voters this time around. Bettors should keep these guidelines in mind when considering their wagers on the award.
There are several players with odds shorter than 100-1 who may not be worth betting on for the Comeback Player of the Year award in 2024. These players are not coming off a significant season-ending injury in 2023 and may not fit the criteria outlined in the new guidelines.
Ultimately, as we look ahead to the upcoming NFL season, it will be interesting to see how these new guidelines impact the voting for the Comeback Player of the Year award. The focus on resilience and overcoming adversity could lead to a shift in the types of players who are considered for this prestigious honor.
