Who Will Be The NFL Comeback Player Of The Year In 2009?

Every year it seems as though that one or two NFL players make an incredible comeback that nobody saw coming.  In the NFL this past year Chad Pennington won the comeback player of the year by leading the Dolphins to an 11-5 record.

But even so, the real comeback player of the year that sticks out in my mind was Kurt Warner, who arguably could have won the MVP award as well.

The comeback player of the year award is a special award, because it symbolizes that player’s determination to overcome challenging obstacles. In order to be a true comeback player, the player had to have come back from the dead to achieve greatness.

Here are the candidates for the next great comeback players of the year:

LaDainian Tomlinson-

In one year LT went from being the Charger’s franchise player, to a player on the trading block. LT is no longer considered an elite back anymore.

LT just wasn’t the same player this year as he averaged a career low of 3.8 ypc besides his rookie year. He didn’t seem to have the same quickness and burst he once had. However, to be fair he was banged up from the beginning of the season and running back do have occasional off years.

If you take a look Emmit Smith’s career, you would notice that in his eighth season he had an off year as he rushed for only 1074 yards.

However, Smith would go on to make the Pro Bowl the next two seasons. It will be LT’s ninth season next year, and whether he stays on the Chargers or not, he could surprise everyone.

Daunte Culpepper-

According to Reports, Culpepper’s former teammates say that Culpepper is going to be the starter next year.

Although he played bad for the Lions last year when he played, (which I can’t really blame him for) he physically looked good. It seems as though his knee injury is no longer an issue and if there is one player who wants to prove his doubters wrong, it is Culpepper.

Culpepper has been saying that all he needs is a chance to prove his doubters wrong, and it looks like he is going to get it next year.

Michael Vick-

If there was one player set up for this award, it would be Vick. My question is if he has a great season, should he even get the award?

Why should Vick in a sense be rewarded for being a criminal? I believe that Vick has already served his time, a long with losing countless other things, and it’s time for us to forgive him.

I personally believe that if Vick does end up on an NFL roster next year, he is going to have a great season. He is still an incredible talent and if there is one think I know for sure, he is going to be playing with a chip on his shoulder.

If Vick does play well after missing football for the last two years, it will be an inspirational story to me, but I can’t see PETA seeing it my way.

Marvin Harrison- I’m not convinced Marvin Harrison is done just yet. From watching him play last year, he still looks like he has something left in the tank.

I believe that one of the main reasons Harrison wasn’t as successful last year, is because, after being hurt for most of 2007, he wasn’t Manning’s favorite or even second option this past season.

WR Reggie Wayne, was clearly his first, and TE Dallas Clark was his second. Manning and Harrison didn’t seem to have the same chemistry they had for most of their career.

I can remember watching a game earlier this year where Manning missed a wide open Harrison because they weren’t on the same page. Harrison is still a free agent, but if I was a G.M, I would take the risk and sign him for the right price.

Who do you think is going to win the award?