A little over a year after suffering from cardiac arrest in the field of play in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is now officially a finalist for the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year after completing the 2023 season.
The NFL revealed the five-man race for the award, and Hamlin is the only defensive player among four other quarterbacks.
Here are the finalists:
- Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns quarterback
- Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills safety
- Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback
- Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams quarterback
- Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins quarterback
Hamlin was seen as a potential runaway favorite for the award this season for simply being on the team and playing following his near-death experience, but the resurgence of the Browns and Flacco made it a tight two-man race midway through the season.
Hamlin played in just five games and was inactive for the other 12 during the regular season but suited up for both playoff games due to Buffalo's injuries in the secondary. He got most of his work in on special teams during the season, finishing with two total tackles and one carry for two yards.
After signing to Cleveland's practice squad on Nov. 20, Flacco would go on to lead the Browns to the playoffs before finishing the regular season 123 of 204 passing for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight picks in five games. Flacco went 4-1 to close out the season before he and the Browns got blown out by the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card.
The Comeback Player of the Year will be revealed at NFL Honors on Thursday, Feb. 8.
More must-reads: