Joe Flacco was named the Comeback Player of the Year for his heroics with the Cleveland Browns but not everyone was happy about the 39-year-old quarterback taking home the award.
Flacco edged out Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin 151-140 in the voting. Hamlin was the heavy favorite for most of the year. He returned to play this season with the Bills after suffering a cardiac arrest on the field in January of 2023.
Flacco was signed off the couch by the Browns in November. He provided a spark for Cleveland’s offense in the regular season, going 4-1 in his starts while passing for 1,616 yards and 13 touchdowns. But turnovers were an issue. He tossed eight interceptions during his five regular season appearances. He threw two more against the Houston Texans during a 45-14 wild-card thumping. Both were returned for touchdowns
Peter King of NBC Sports called Flacco winning “absurd” in the latest edition of his Football Morning in America column.
“It’s ridiculous that Joe Flacco, who came back from sitting on his couch for two-and-a-half months, won Comeback Player over Damar Hamlin, who came back from having to be resuscitated back to life on a football field last January,” King wrote. “What’s stronger than ridiculous? Absurd? Okay. It was absurd.
