On Friday, the PFWA [Pro Football Writers of America] NFL Comeback Player of the Year was announced… Can’t help but wonder what does this mean for Washington’s Brian Robinson Jr. and the annual award?
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith was voted PFWA’s 2022 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. Keep in mind this is the PFWA award, not the official AP honor, which will be revealed on Feb. 9 at NFL Honors. Smith is one of three finalists, along with 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey and Giants RB Saquon Barkley
Awards like this are, of course, subjective. This particular award is typically given to an NFL player who missed the previous NFL season due to a serious illness or injury. Yet, there have also been times a player received the award for overcoming such poor performance the previous season.
So, where does Commanders running back Brian Robinson fit into this equation? Robinson was shot twice on Aug. 28 in Washington DC, the victim of an attempted carjacking. Reports had Robinson shot in his glute and knee. Remarkably he suffered no long-term damage to the knee and returned to play only six weeks later against the Tennessee Titans at FedEx Field.
Perhaps the remarkable nature of the shooting not forcing Robinson to miss more than four weeks may eliminate Robinson from consideration for the award.
We can all be certain, Robinson shot by carjackers could have certainly lost much, much more than four weeks of NFL action. It is great news for Robinson that he was not permanently injured (or even killed) by the carjackers’ evil intentions.
Apparently, Robinson was not considered for this year’s award because he did not miss the previous NFL season. Having not missed this current 2022 NFL season, perhaps he will not be considered for next year’s award either?
The former Alabama running back led the Commanders in 2022 with 797 rushing yards on 205 carries for 3.9 yards per carry. Robinson played in the final 12 games of the season, starting nine. He also caught nine receptions for 60 yards (6.7 YPR).
Drafted in the third round of the 2022 draft (98th overall), Robinson had two rushing touchdowns and one receiving.
Alex Smith won the 2020 Comeback Player of the Year Award. having been forced to miss all of the 2019 season due to multiple surgeries, infections and nearly losing a leg.
Pro Football Weekly in 1978 voted Washington’s John Riggins its Comeback Player of the Year following Riggins being injured and only producing 203 rushing yards in 1977. In that ’78 season, Riggins rushed for 1,0014 yards and five touchdowns.
Smith was certainly deserving of the award, ending his 2022 season having passed for a career-best 30 touchdown passes. In addition, Smith also accomplished a new Seahawks franchise record of 4,282 passing yards, and Smith led the NFL in completion rate at 69.8%.