The Comeback Player of the Year award has been given out since the 1963 season. Baltimore Colts kicker Jim Martin was the first to receive the honor. Geno Smith won the award last season, and here is why Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa could win it in the 2023 season.
The Tua Backing From The Front Office
Chad Pennington remains the only Miami Dolphins player ever to win the award when he guided Miami to the AFC East title in the 2008 season. This remains the last time that the team has won the division. However, there is a lot of confidence that this team could end the drought in 2023.
The Dolphins have exercised Tua’s fifth-year option. This is a significant indication that he is their guy moving forward.
After two years of flirtation with Deshaun Watson and Tom Brady, general manager Chris Grier ended their rumors with the decision to exercise his fifth-year option.
Granted, this is only a two-year extension, but this is a step in the right direction for Tua’s NFL career, one that injuries have haunted.
Productivity On The Field
Of course, the three concussions he suffered in 2022 are a concern. You cannot ignore that the team looked miles better when he played last season.
Despite missing four games and suffering concussions in three others, Tua still managed to throw for the 12thmost passing yards (3,548), eighth-most passing touchdowns, the third-highest quarterback rating, and finish with single-digit interceptions.
Imagine what he could do with a fully healthy season.
After all, the main takeaway from Miami’s 34-31 Wild Card Round loss to the Buffalo Bills was that they would have won the game if Tua was playing instead of third-string Skylar Thompson.
Other Contenders
Damar Hamlin is the favorite for the award at the time of writing. This goes without saying; if Hamlin were to return to the field after suffering cardiac arrest, he would be a massive contender for the award.
Hamlin and Tua would both have something in common, returning to the field after horrible circumstances. While Tua did return to the field in 2022 after that horrible incident in Cincinnati, he still went on to have another concussion. This ruled him out for the rest of the season and that aforementioned Wild Card Round loss to the Bills.
Last season, the nominees were Geno, Christian McCaffrey, and Saquon Barkley. The latter two had brilliant seasons after a couple of years on the sidelines. The theme will shift from that to a feel-good story in 2023, just as we saw with Alex Smith in the 2020 campaign.
If Hamlin returns, then he may be a lock. But there is a chance he may never play football again, or at least for the 2023 season. Bills head coach Sean McDermott was coy about a potential return for Hamlin. He said: “The amount of courage it’s going to take to re-engage again is unbeknownst to many of us. I’m ready to support him in any direction he decides to go, even if it’s last minute.
“The best thing we can do is support him through this, which is a big piece of it: mind, body, and spirit. It’s not just physically like, hey, in the weight room; it’s the mental piece.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio double downed on this method of thinking. He said: “What player has ever tried to come back and play after nearly dying on the field?”
My second favorite for the award is Trey Lance. Tua’s return is more likely than Hamlin’s. He is not guaranteed to start ahead of Brock Purdy. This would give Miami’s QB1 a better chance of claiming the award.
Why Tua Will Win The Award
Miami’s in a great position to be competitive in the regular season and playoffs. With an exciting offense that features Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, the team is now further complete on defense.
With new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and the additions of Jalen Ramsey and DeShon Elliot, there has been a significant upgrade on this side of the ball.
Miami’s most significant issue in 2022 was allowing the big plays. Players like Ramsey will only help this. Better performance will keep the offense off the field for longer. This will ease the pressure on them to bail the defense out.
Tua is a fighter. He has come back from injury before and will no doubt in his mind that he will play in 2023. Overcoming these injury concerns in 2023 and similar performances to those in 2022 will all work in his favor regarding voting.
