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Quarterback Joe Flacco won the 2023 NFL season’s Comeback Player of the Year Award, beating finalists Baker Mayfield, Tua Tagovailoa, and Matthew Stafford. It’s his second individual recognition after being named Super Bowl 47 Most Valuable Player in 2013.
But while the former Delaware standout had a fantastic journey this season, NFL Network host Rich Eisen is calling for the award’s renaming in honor of another finalist: Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
In the February 9 episode of his eponymous show, Eisen said:
“But this award, I think, should be for people coming back from an injury or a health-related problem and Damar Hamlin came back, just to put it as bluntly as possible from being dead. How in the world is this not the most remarkable comeback? I understand he did not have an integral role on the Buffalo Bills defense, but he was on the 53-man roster.”
So, the way through this, and I'm hoping this can still happen is you name the award after Damar Hamlin and in so doing, you still commemorate and celebrate the hard work of the first responders who resuscitated this man and allowed him to come back and play football and still play football.”
Unlike Joe Flacco, who returned from playing football after being sidelined for almost a year, Hamlin defeated the most adverse situation on the football field. He cheated death after tackling Tee Higgins during their 2022 Week 17 game.
If not for the medical practitioners who worked on his recovery and healing, Hamlin wouldn’t have recovered from commotio cordis. It’s an abnormal cardiac rhythm that could be fatal if not treated within three minutes.
Following Eisen’s train of thought, Geno Smith shouldn’t have won the 2022 Comeback Player of the Year Award because he did not undergo a significant injury. Instead, he bounced back to become a viable starter for the Seattle Seahawks despite his earlier failures with the New York Jets.
Joe Flacco revived the Cleveland Browns season
While Eisen does have a point in honoring Hamlin by renaming the award after him, it shouldn’t take the shine away from what Joe Flacco achieved this season. He was ready to lead the Browns even if he did not undergo mandatory workouts or training camp.
This season, Cleveland’s fifth starting quarterback helped clinch a playoff berth with four consecutive 300-yard games. The veteran signal-caller had a strong performance against the Houston Texans in the postseason, but his two interceptions proved costly.
His destination for 2024 remains uncertain. However, teams looking for a quarterback ready to play without much preparation will remember Joe Flacco’s impressive run.
