Was Houston Texans Receiver John Metchie III a Comeback Player of the Year Snub?

Houston Texans receiver John Metchie III was probably never going to win Comeback Player of the Year, but the list of finalists for the award leaves something to be desired.

There may not be an award with less defined criteria than the NFL’s AP Comeback Player of the Year. Each year, an amalgamation of castaways, injured veterans, and bounce-back candidates end up on the finalists list.

This year’s group, however, was unique. The race was all but over once Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin played a snap, and that’s perfectly okay. Hamlin’s heart stopped on the football field and he lived to see another down. That will win him the award.

The rest of the finalists include Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. Curiously, Houston Texans receiver John Metchie III was left off.

Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II (0) defends as Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III (8) attempts to make a reception during the third quarter at NRG Stadium / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Comeback Player of the Year award doesn’t have to be a quarterback award, though the voters tend to favor the position. Hamlin – who won the award last season – ended a five-year streak of quarterbacks. Before them, four years of non-quarterbacks won the award.

The award is less determined by play on the field or perceived value than any other award. If there’s any (all-encompassing) award that should be dominated by non-quarterbacks, it is this one.

Stafford missed the entire second half of the 2022 season with injuries, endured his Super Bowl hangover, and came back as strong as ever to lead the Rams to the playoffs. Nobody wanted Mayfield after he was cut before the season’s end. He exceeded every expectation, won the NFC South, and even won a playoff game. Flacco’s ascension from the couch to the playoffs is similarly admirable, making him a sure bet to make the shortlist.

What did Tagovailoa come back from? He suffered two concussions – that shouldn’t be minimized. And the latter had him out of action well after the season was over. But he played in 13 games!

The league has already established that not playing is a good enough reason to be considered and that strong production itself isn’t necessary. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. But Metchie missed his rookie season with acute promyelocytic leukemia, which was diagnosed while he was recovering from a torn ACL.

He made it onto the field this season, albeit as a depth contributor, to complete his comeback. Metchie appeared in all 16 games, catching 16 of his 30 targets for 158 yards and seven first downs.

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Metchie shouldn’t win the award – it’s Hamlin’s to lose, for good reason. But as long as the severity of one’s case or the duration of one’s absence is being considered, it’s flummoxing that Metchie was not even a finalist.