NFL Fans Stunned Joe Flacco Edged Damar Hamlin for Comeback Player of Year

The Cleveland Browns quarterback secured the award despite many fans believing that the Buffalo Bills safety was more deserving.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco captured the 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award over Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, thanks to a second half of the season that saw the veteran quarterback take over and guide the Browns to a playoff appearance.

Flacco earned 13 first-place votes and 151 total points, edging out Hamlin’s 21 first-place votes and 140 total points in the award voting.

While Flacco played well and was certainly one of the stories of the season, the decision by voters that saw the Browns quarterback capture the award over Hamlin, who returned to the field after going into cardiac arrest in January of 2023, left NFL fans perplexed.

Leading the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs helped Joe Flacco win NFL Comeback Player of the Year :: Troy Taormina/USA TODAY

Flacco certainly made a larger on-field impact, serving as the Browns’ starting quarterback late in the season compared to Hamlin’s reserve role on defense and starting special teams role with Buffalo. However, as Flacco alluded to prior to winning the award, he wasn’t sure what he was coming back from.

“I don’t necessarily know what I am coming back from,” Flacco joked on The Zach Gelb Show. “I’m just coming back from being old and not being on a team for a couple months.”

Flacco argued that Hamlin, who came back from nearly dying on the field just over a year ago, was more deserving.

“I think mentally, to get yourself back out there and feel good doing what we do, especially at his position, is pretty cool,” Flacco said.

NFL fans couldn’t believe the decision of the voters for the Comeback Player of the Year Award. Here are some of the best reactions to Flacco winning the award over Hamlin:

Joe Flacco was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year over Damar Hamlin. Which only goes to show that, in pro football, returning to play after standing at the brink of death is less impressive than leading the Cleveland #Browns to the playoffs.

— Mike Sielski (@MikeSielski) February 9, 2024

I’m shocked Flacco won this award over Hamlin. https://t.co/s0j4LXDoNU

— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) February 9, 2024

What a joke the NFL awards were. Damar Hamlin loses out on the the comeback award to Joe Flacco? Why, because Flacco was able to get off his couch and play pretty good for a few weeks? More of a comeback than a guy nearly dying yet returning to play? Idiots who voted. All of them

— Sal Maiorana (@salmaiorana) February 9, 2024

Damar Hamlin died on the field and came back and lost to Joe Flacco doing a Nick Mullens impression off the couch

— 🌸sports tweeter Matthias🌸 (tonesetter) (@KryzivenTake2) February 9, 2024

I’m sorry. How does Damar Hamlin lose Comeback Player of the Year? He almost died playing football. Joe Flacco returned from being old and unwanted. Hamlin’s tale is the best comeback story in NFL History. What a disgrace.

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) February 9, 2024