Comeback Player of the Year is one of the NFL’s most unique awards. It’s not just about putting up big numbers, it’s about tackling something serious and coming back at a high level when many doubt it’s possible. The field of candidates usually begins to form in the first month of the season. A familiar name in Cleveland is starting to join the discussion.
The Land On Demand’s Tony Grossi looked into Watson’s case while watching Thursday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“Patrick Mahomes probably has the NFL Player of the Year award. But Deshaun Watson may find himself somewhat in the conversation if he continues to win games. After returning twice in consecutive fourth quarters, Watson has a chance to win three straight games for the first time in five years with 18 percent (68.3), 24th in passing yards (587), 14th in TD passes (five) and every 22nd in yards per attempt average (7.2),” Grossi wrote.
Watson has had a long road back. He last played in 2024, before multiple Achilles surgeries sidelined him in 2025, and there were serious questions about whether he would be a starter again. At 31, he earned the job this summer and started every game.
Mahomes is the clear favorite and it’s easy to see why. He’s the face of the league, and voters lean toward the biggest stars when the award race is near.
Grossi’s figures also show the limits of Watson’s work. He sits in the middle of the pack or lower in completion percentage, passing yards and yards per attempt, meaning stats alone won’t carry him.
It is winning in the big moments that can carry it. Watson’s 148.4 passer rating in the 4th quarter leads the NFL, trailing Mahomes at 148.0. Not since Brian Sipe in 1980 has a Browns player thrown a touchdown pass in the final four minutes of back-to-back games.
Its overall efficiency has also taken a huge leap. He has a 104.1 passer rating with 5 touchdowns and just 1 interception, compared to a 79.0 rating in his final season.
The winning streak that Grossi recorded would be significant in itself. Watson has never won 3 straight games during his time in Cleveland, and doing so against a division rival would add another milestone to an already improbable start.
The perception of him is also changing. Watson was booed in the preseason, but after Sunday’s win over Carolina, fans carried him off the field and Andrew Berry was waiting in the tunnel to greet him.
Thursday’s game puts him on the national stage in front of voters and fans across the league. He will do so without center Elgton Jenkins, as Luke Wypler is expected to start, while Pittsburgh has its own questions with Jalen Ramsey listed as questionable.
Winning the prize remains a long shot. But just a few weeks ago, no one would have put Watson’s name in the same sentence as Player of the Year, and that alone shows how much his story has changed.
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