2010 NFL Comeback Player of the Year: Michael Vick and Other Potential Winners

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Way back on Nov. 16, 2010, I had written an article about potential comeback player of the year candidates.

Sure, the read count was good but the comments I received on it were what had me thinking a lot back then and still had me thinking today.

Most of the comments I received were blasting me for not including Michael Vick on the list anywhere.

My excuse at the time was because he had not played in enough games for my liking to be included on it at the present time.

Well fast forward past Week 17 and he did play in enough games, but where did he land on my list?

Read on to find out.

No. 10: Terrell Owens, Wide Receiver Cincinnati Bengals

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As of Week 10, Terrell Owens was on pace to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving this year with ease.

But he fell 13 yards short of that mark and only ended up starting 11 games this year, while playing in 13 total.

Sadly, he lands at the bottom of the list now at the end of the season due to an injury to his knee cartilage he sustained during the Bengals game against Cleveland in December.

Owens' final stats?

Games: 13

Receptions: 72

Yards: 983

Touchdowns: 9

No. 9: Michael Turner, Running Back Atlanta Falcons

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After topping the NFC South and securing a first round bye week in the playoffs this year, Michael Turner earns a spot on this list with his fantastic year.

As I mentioned before, I wrote another article a month or so ago that had Michael Turner on the list then and he is still on the list now.

I also had a projection that Turner would eclipse 1,300 yards on the season and in fact he did.

His stats from a shortened 2009?

Carries: 178

Yards: 871

Touchdowns: 10

Fumbles: 4

Games: 11

His final stats of 2010?

Carries: 334

Yards: 1,371

Touchdowns: 12

Fumbles: 2

Games: 16

Perhaps he only started 15 of the 16 games this season but Michael Turner surely deserves a look for a great follow up to his performance in 2009.

No. 8: E.J. Henderson, Linebacker Minnesota Vikings

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E.J Henderson has been leading up to a full recovery from that vicious broken leg in 2008.

Flat out, that was nasty!

Watch it here.

In 2009, he made a mild comeback while playing in twelve games and getting 82 tackles.

But fast forward to 2010 and you get the pre-2008 E.J. Henderson all over again.

NFL players were having to fear this former turtle as the Maryland stand-out was punishing everyone he came in contact with again. This time with the added twist of a coverage linebacker who also intercepted three passes this season, a career high.

His final stats of the year?

Games: 16

Tackles: 106

Forced Fumbles: 1

Interceptions: 3

Sacks: 1

Pass Deflections: 4

No. 7: John Abraham, Defensive Line Atlanta Falcons

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Okay, so as you can see by this photograph, John Abraham is back to doing what he does best...rush the passer.

After a dismal, at best, 2009 season, John Abraham is back to his best form in 2010. Along with fellow list-mate Michael Turner, they helped the Falcons to first-round bye in the playoffs.

Of course, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl doesn't hurt his stock either.

Abraham's final stats?

Games: 15

Tackles: 40

Sacks: 13.0

Forced Fumbles: 2

Interceptions: 1

Pass Deflections: 4

No. 6: Dwayne Bowe, Wide Receiver Kansas City Chiefs

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Doing his version of the Lam-Bowe leap into the Kansas City crowd became like second nature to Kansas City's Pro Bowl wide receiver.

Bowe is coming back from a shortened 2009 season which was overall pretty dismal.

Games: 11

Receptions: 47

Yards: 589

Touchdowns: 4

This year? He is a fantasy owner's dream, or the opposing owner's nightmare.

Bowe's final stats?

Games: 16

Receptions: 72

Yards: 1,162

Touchdowns: 15

No. 5: Osi Umenyiora, Defensive Lineman New York Giants

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Osi Umenyiora has kind of a funny stat sheet.

He plays like a beast one season, then the next season is shortened.

It has been that way for the past five seasons and hopefully next year that trend will stop because that means he doesn't get hurt.

Even though Osi is a player for the Redskins rivals, the New York Giants, I wish no injury would come to any player who plays, especially those who could have careers that can become legendary like Osi Umenyiora.

He is a nightmare for NFC East quarterbacks, though.

Since he played all 16 games this season he certainly made his presence known, especially with a career high in forced fumbles.

His final stats?

Games: 16

Tackles: 48

Sacks: 11.5

Forced Fumbles: 10

Interceptions: 0

No. 4: Brian Urlacher, Linebacker Chicago Bears

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Brian Urlacher barely had a 2009 season. He played in one game and was only able to record three tackles before a season-ending injury sidelined him.

In 2010, this Bear came roaring back to his 2007 form while nearly helping the Bears to the playoffs.

Urlacher's 2009 stats?

Games: 1

Tackles: 3

Sacks: 0

Interceptions: 0

Forced Fumbles: 0

Pass Deflections: 0

His final stats of 2010?

Games: 16

Tackles: 125

Sacks: 4

Interceptions: 1

Forced Fumbles: 2

Pass Deflections: 10

No. 3: Leon Washington, Running Back/Returner Seattle Seahawks

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Leon Washington has is one Seahawk who has flown under the radar of the NFL due to a poor performance by all the NFC West teams.

A team that does not have a winning record has won the division and will be going to the post-season and Leon Washington was a big inspiration on that Seahawks team.

Snubbed as a kick returner for the NFC Pro Bowl in favor of Chicago's Devin Hester, who had more success returning punts and not kicks, Washington led the NFC with three kickoff returns for a touchdown.

Washington ranked eighth in kick return average based on players who returned 20+ kickoffs this season.

Washington, like list-mate E.J. Henderson, is coming off of a bad leg injury that ended his season last year.

He ranks higher on the list because this is the follow up season to that injury recovery and Washington came back strong and healthy, participating in all 16 games.

No. 2: Michael Vick, Quarterback Philadelphia Eagles

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He's back!!

Michael Vick returns as an NFL starter in star form.

Though he only played in 12 games this season, Vick is a front-runner for NFL MVP and appears to be making it a two-horse race between himself and Tom Brady.

With the NFC East title locked up by Week 17, the Eagles decided to rest Vick and get him ready for the playoffs. I would like to have seen what he could have done against the Cowboys in the final week but that is probably a fantasy owner who has him being greedy.

Vick easily eclipsed his personal bests for quarterback rating, completion percentage, touchdowns passes, touchdown rushes, yards and yards average.

There is that little matter of Vick getting his second chance since coming out of prison for the infamous dog fighting issue but that was a matter to be handled with last season, in 2009. He played in 2009, this is 2010 so here is the stat split between the two years.

2009:

Games: 12

Starts: 1

Completions: 6

Attempts: 13

Completion Percentage: 46.2

Yards: 86

Touchdowns: 1

Interceptions: 0

Rushes: 24

Yards: 95

Average: 4.0

Touchdowns: 2

Fumbles: 0

Now for the possible MVP season of 2010:

Games: 12

Starts: 12

Completions: 233

Attempts: 372

Completion Percentage: 62.6

Touchdowns: 21

Interceptions: 6

Rushes: 100

Yards: 676

Touchdowns: 9

Fumbles: 11

Honorable Mention: Brandon Lloyd, Wide Receiver Denver Broncos

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Pro Bowler and league leader in receiving yards are two things I did not think I'd ever hear associated with Brandon Lloyd, but I was proven incorrect on both accounts.

Lloyd put together a fine season, his best since his final year with the Niners in 2005.

It did not seem to matter who was under center for the Broncos this year the ball found its way to Lloyd's hands.

Lloyd's year end stats?

Games: 16

Receptions: 77

Yards: 1,448

Touchdowns: 11

No. 1: Mike Williams, Wide Receiver Seattle Seahawks

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I saw a commercial for a show coming up about boxing on FX Channel called "Lights Out."

One of the captions used for that show is that "America loves a comeback."

Mike Williams' story embodies all that is the true American comeback story.

Where Williams differs from Michael Vick in this category is that Vick was a prized possession that a few NFL teams were fighting over the moment he came out of prison. He was in prison for actions that were of his own doing and at no time did anyone doubt his ability as a football player.

Williams was an after-thought in many people's minds and just another failed draft pick that was going to bounce around NFL teams or drop to play Arena Football because his abilities came into question which eventually led to him not playing in the NFL from 2007-2010.

Williams approached his old college coach from USC Pete Carroll, who now coaches the Seattle Seahawks, about playing for him again but he was badly overweight and needed to lose it before he could even be considered.

At the time, Williams weighed nearly 300 pounds.

Williams lost roughly 70 pounds and made the Seahawks team under the tutorial of Pete Carroll again he would shine.

He has had the best season of his career by far, easily outdoing his rookie season in Detroit, and he scored a crucial touchdown in the final game of the season against the Rams to help Seattle make the playoffs.

Williams final stats?

Games: 14

Receptions: 65

Yards: 751

Touchdowns: 2

Considering those totals easily overshadow all the other seasons he has played combined, Mike Williams gets my vote for NFL Comeback Player of the Year.