The comeback player of the year award presented the most uncertainty of any of the NFL’s awards. Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and Giants running back Saquon Barkley all were deserving.
On Thursday night at NFL Honors, the league announced Smith as the winner over McCaffrey and Barkley. He received 28 of 50 first-place votes and 171 total votes, with McCaffrey getting 12 first-place votes and 110 total votes and Barkley four and 86.
Eagles edge rusher Brandon Graham (two first-place votes, 21 total) and Giants offensive lineman Nick Gates (two, 18) rounded out the top five.
Smith didn’t re-sign with the Seahawks until April 19 when he signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal. He hadn’t been a full-time starter in the NFL since 2014 with the Jets, and he had started only five games the previous six years with the Jets, Giants, Chargers and Seahawks.
Smith had to beat out Drew Lock for the starting job to replace Russell Wilson, who the team traded to the Broncos. He was expected to be a bridge quarterback in 2022, but instead proved he was more than that in throwing for 4,282 yards and 30 touchdowns and leading the league with a 69.8 completion percentage.
Smith led the Seahawks to a 9-8 record and a postseason appearance and earned Pro Bowl honors for the first time.
It was enough to earn him comeback player of the year, the fifth consecutive quarterback to win the award.
Barkley rebounded from a torn ACL in 2020 and rushed for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns on 295 carries in helping the Giants to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
McCaffrey, who finished the previous two seasons on injured reserve, was traded from the Panthers to the 49ers in the middle of the season. He scored 10 touchdowns in 11 games to help his new team to a division title.
