The 2026 NFL season is anticipated to feature numerous comeback stories, with several prominent players aiming to return from injuries, restore past performance, or re-establish their careers. The Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, first given in 1963, recognizes these remarkable returns.
Patrick Mahomes, quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, leads the list of contenders. He is expected to return from December knee surgery for the Chiefs’ season opener, following a 2025 season where his passing yards (3,587), touchdowns (22), completion percentage (62.7), and rating (89.6) were career lows as a starter. The Chiefs also missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014, with Mahomes recording only six wins as a starting quarterback. Seventeen of the last 25 Comeback Player of the Year winners have been quarterbacks.
Daniel Jones, quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, is ranked second. After being released by the New York Giants in 2024 and joining the Minnesota Vikings without playing, Jones signed with the Colts in 2025. He won the starting job and led the team to a 7-1 start before suffering a torn Achilles in Week 14, having also played through a broken fibula. Last season, Christian McCaffrey ended a seven-year streak of quarterbacks winning the award.
Jayden Daniels, quarterback for the Washington Commanders, is third, aiming to overcome knee, hamstring, and elbow injuries from 2025. As the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Daniels led the Commanders to their first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1991. However, injuries limited him to seven games and two wins in 2025. In 2024, he accumulated 4,459 yards of offense and 31 offensive touchdowns. Alex Smith in 2020 was the only Washington player to win the award.
Kyler Murray, quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, is fourth. Released by the Cardinals in March after playing only five games in 2025 due to a foot injury, Murray signed with the Vikings this offseason. The 2019 NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick, Murray is 29 and has two Pro Bowl selections. Three of the last six winners were former No. 1 overall picks. No Vikings or Cardinals player has ever won the award.
Micah Parsons, outside linebacker for the Green Bay Packers, is fifth. Traded to the Packers in the 2025 offseason, Parsons recorded 12.5 sacks in 14 games and was a first-team All-Pro. He tore his ACL in Week 15 and underwent a meniscus procedure. He is expected to return in 2026, potentially for a Week 6 game against his former team, the Dallas Cowboys. The last defensive player to win the award was Chiefs safety Eric Berry in 2015.
Tank Dell, wide receiver for the Houston Texans, is sixth, returning from a dislocated kneecap and multiple ligament tears suffered in December 2024. If active for the Texans’ season opener on September 13, it will be his first game since December 21, 2024. Dell had seven touchdowns in 11 games during his 2023 rookie season. A wide receiver has not won the award since Keenan Allen in 2017, and no Texans player has ever won it.
Michael Penix Jr., quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, is seventh, recovering from a torn ACL. Drafted eighth overall in 2024 despite the Falcons signing Kirk Cousins, Penix has played 14 NFL games, with 2,757 passing yards, 12 touchdown passes, and six interceptions. He must be cleared for 11-on-11 work and compete for the starting role. No Falcons player has won the award, though Michael Vick, a 2001 Falcons first-round pick, won it with the Eagles in 2010.
Geno Smith, quarterback for the New York Jets, is eighth. After being traded by the Raiders, Smith returns to his original team. He previously resurrected his career with the Seahawks, earning two Pro Bowl selections and winning the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year award. His 2025 season with the Raiders saw the team win three games. If Smith wins again, he would be only the third player to win the award twice.
Fred Warner, linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers, is ninth, coming back from a broken and dislocated ankle. He played only six games last season, interrupting a streak of three consecutive first-team All-Pro selections and Pro Bowl nods. Warner could be the first linebacker to win the award since Tedy Bruschi in 2005 and the fifth 49ers player to receive it.
Tua Tagovailoa, quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, is tenth, following his release by the Dolphins. He is currently competing for the QB1 position with Michael Penix Jr. Tagovailoa led the league in passing yards in 2023 with the Dolphins and overcame concussions. His preseason debut with the Falcons was noted as unsettling. No Falcons player has won the award.
Other potential candidates include J.J. McCarthy, quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, returning from multiple 2025 injuries and losing the 2026 QB battle. Aaron Donald, potentially coming out of retirement in March 2024 to join the Rams, is also considered a dark horse. Additional candidates include Nick Bosa, Travis Hunter, George Kittle, Tucker Kraft, Malik Nabers, and Cam Skattebo, all recovering from various injuries.
