• Joe Burrow played out in a big way: After suffering a season-ending wrist injury last year, Burrow led the league in PFF passing grade, passing yards and passing touchdowns.
• Deserve an MVP? Burrow easily leads all players this season. PFF Wins Above Replacement Rate metrics.
• The 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Experience the best in class from PFF Draft mock simulator and learn about Main prospects for 2025 while trading and drafting for his favorite NFL team.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
PFF Award winners are selected through a voting process involving 28 senior PFF analysts, contributors and staff members, ensuring decisions reflect the ideas and experiences of those deeply involved in the game.
This year’s Comeback Player of the Year was Joe Burrowwho received 23 votes to claim the honor. Took second place Sam Darnold three voices, while J.C. Dobbins closes the top three in wittwo voices.
To view all 2024 award winners, Click here.
After Joe Burrow underwent surgery on his throwing wrist last November, many wondered whether his career would eventually become another case of “What if he stays healthy?” After all, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft has already suffered two season-ending injuries in his four years in the league.
Not only did Burrow respond with a completely healthy campaign in 2024, but his fifth season was his best. He once again proved why he is at least a top-five quarterback in the NFL and was PFF’s clear choice for Comeback Player of the Year.
Burrow led the league in multiple passing categories this season, including PFF overall grade (92.8), yards (4,918) and touchdowns (43). His 37 big shots were tied Josh Allen and for leadership in the league. He finished the season as the bestUABplayer, according to PFF Wins Above Replacement Rate.
2024 Most Valuable Players According to PFF WAR
Perhaps the only reason Burrow won’t win his first career MVP award is because of the mistakes of the team around him. Despite the heroics of their quarterback, the team Bengals failed to make the playoffs with a 9–8 record. Taking Burrow out of the equation, Cincinnati posted the 10th-best offense and 11th-best defense overall. And yet the Bengals were still one. Denver Broncos the loss of making the playoffs because Burrow was special.
What makes it so great? Nothing bothers him.
Joe Burrow’s PFF passing grades by situation in 2024
| Situation | PFF Passing Score | NFL Rank |
| Kept clean | 94.3 | 2nd |
| Under pressure | 75.6 | 1st |
| Blitz | 88.3 | 1st |
| Not destroyed | 91.9 | 1st |
| Coating against man | 88.2 | 1st |
| vs coverage area | 91.6 | 2nd |
No other defenseman ranks in the top three in all of these categories. Burrow also leads the league with a PFF passer grade of 93.7 on short throws (0-9 yards) while ranking in the top 10 in both intermediate and deep passes.
He expertly maneuvers the frequent gaps in the pocket his offensive line gives him, as the Bengals finished the season with the fourth-worst pass-blocking grade per PFF. Then he often found either Ja’Marr Chase or Tee Higgins with utmost precision.
Although the season didn’t go the way he hoped in terms of wins and losses, Burrow once again showed why he is one of the best defensive players in the NFL. This success following season-ending wrist surgery makes him an easy choice for the Comeback Player of the Year award.
Leave a comment