Packers WR Jordy Nelson named 2016 Comeback Player of the Year

The Green Bay Packers may not end up seeing their quarterback be named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player for the 2016 season, but one Packers player did earn a significant award at the NFL Honors on the eve of Super Bowl LI.

On Saturday night, wide receiver Jordy Nelson was named the Comeback Player of the Year by the Associated Press, honoring him for his terrific bounce-back season. Nelson tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the 2015 preseason and missed that entire year; however, he returned this season with a vengeance, leading the entire NFL in receiving touchdowns with 14. Nelson caught a total of 97 passes for 1,257 yards, finishing in the top six of all NFL players in those two categories as well.

Nelson missed just a single game during the Packers’ 2016 campaign, sitting out the NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys due to broken ribs. Remarkably, he played just one week later in the NFC Championship Game (which was just 14 days after breaking his ribs in the Wild Card round) and recorded six catches for 67 yards and a touchdown despite playing in obvious pain throughout the game.

Aside from that Wild Card game in which he was injured, Nelson had just one game with fewer than three receptions this season. He caught six or more passes in eleven of his 18 games.

This honor gives Nelson a sweep of the Comeback Player awards for this season, as he was given the same award by the Pro Football Writers of America in January.

Congratulations to Jordy on this well-deserved award and a fantastic 2016!