Buckeyes Now

Former Ohio State Quarterback Joe Burrow Named 2021 NFL Comeback Player Of The Year

Burrow bounced back from a severe knee injury in 2020 to lead the Cincinnati Bengals to Super Bowl LVI.

Andrew Lind

Former Ohio State quarterback Joe Burrow was named the 2021 NFL Comeback Player of the Year during the 11th annual NFL Honors awards show on Thursday night.

Burrow – who played three seasons for the Buckeyes from 2015-17 before transferring to LSU, where he won a national title and the 2019 Heisman Trophy – was the No. 1 overall pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft.

He was on pace to break rookie passing records when he tore his ACL and MCL and suffered additional damage to his PCL and meniscus in the Bengals’ Week 11 loss to the Washington Football Team, which lead to season-ending surgery and a lengthy rehab process. 

Burrow bounced back to throw for 4,611 yards and a team-record 34 touchdowns in 16 games this season and guided Cincinnati to its first AFC North title since 2015. He’s also performed well in the playoffs, as well, throwing for 842 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI.

That includes a win over the Las Vegas Raiders in the Wild Card round, Cincinnati’s first playoff victory in 31 years; the top-seeded Tennessee Titans, which marked the first road playoff win in franchise history; and the two-time defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Burrow is the second player in Bengals history to be named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year, which has been presented annually by the Associated Press since 1963, joining former quarterback John Kitna in 2003.

He will now look to capture the first Super Bowl in franchise history when Cincinnati takes on the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday evening, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. on NBC.

-----

Be sure to check out our new message boards, Buckeye Forums. We'd love to have you part of the conversation during the season.

-----

You may also like:

2023 In-State OG Austin Siereveld Includes Ohio State Among Top Schools

Ohio State’s 2022 Spring Game Scheduled For April 16 At Noon In Ohio Stadium

Seven Former Ohio State Players Invited To 2022 NFL Combine In March

Ohio State Adds Former Maryland DL Cam Spence To Coaching Staff

Tennessee Titans Extend Former Ohio State Player, Coach Mike Vrabel’s Contract

CFL’s Edmonton Elks Sign Former Ohio State WR Jalin Marshall

-----

Be sure to stay locked into BuckeyesNow all the time!

Join the BuckeyesNow community!
Subscribe to the BuckeyesNow YouTube channel
Follow Andrew on Twitter: @AndrewMLind
Follow BuckeyesNow on Twitter: @BuckeyesNowSI

Like and follow BuckeyesNow on Facebook!

Published
Andrew Lind
ANDREW LIND

Andrew Lind is an Ohio State beat writer and photographer at BuckeyesNow, founder of The Ohio State Uniform Database and the NCAA and NFL writer at SportsLogos.net.

Home/Football