New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has been named the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year. The award is given annually to any player who recovers from a bad season in a big way -- whether that bad season was simply a down year or one caused by injury. In some cases, it can even refer to coming back from an early retirement.
Rob Gronkowski named NFL Comeback Player of the Year
Rob Gronkowski, coming back from multiple injuries, has won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.
Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
In other words, the award goes to a player who had a great year after doing nothing the previous year. That’s why it’s not surprising that Gronkowski came away with this award. He is he one of the most prolific tight ends in the league, and the Patriots offense is better when he’s on the field.
Another player who definitely deserves mention though is Dallas Cowboys linebacker Rolando McClain. He retired after looking downright awful his first couple seasons, but then Sean Lee got hurt and the Cowboys had a void at the linebacker position. Something clicked for McClain and he had a fantastic season. Dallas definitely won games based on McClain's play, and it would not have been surprising had he taken this award.
Gronkowski definitely deserves it, though. He played in 15 games this season, catching 82 passes for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was an excellent blocker and he was always Tom Brady’s safety net. The offense was much smoother with him out there, helping New England to the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
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