Franchise Quarterback

Courtesy of Reuters Written by Sam DeCoste Awards season is upon us, and it's time to crown this year's NFL superlatives.  In a season defined by a public health crisis which faced adversity to simply keep playing, the stars showed out and entertained the masses like never before.  Who will come away with the hardware? I'll tell you, right now. Check back tomorrow for my Super Bowl prediction!  Comeback Player of the Year Alex Smith, QB, Washington Football Team On-field performances aside, Alex Smith should win this award unanimously. Smith's journey back to the NFL has been nothing short of sensational. After suffering a compound fracture to his right leg in 2018, Smith underwent 17 surgeries to repair a fractured tibia, fibula, and to fight off a life-threatening bacterial infection. Smith was told he may never walk again, and his bacterial infection could kill him. But he persevered, cleared NFL protocol to practice, regained the starting job, and returned to the gr...

Written by Ben Slavin Earlier in the season, I predicted who would win each major award. With just a week to go before they are announced, most awards seem like a foregone conclusion. So, this time, I will be giving honors to those who truly deserve it. Too often in the media, players with the biggest names and on the best teams get the attention over those who actually make the biggest impacts.  Comeback Player of the Year Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts Coming back after a nearly two year hiatus, Luck led a team that went 4-12 without him to the divisional round of the playoffs. Unflustered by a 1-5 start, Luck helped the team rattle off 9 wins in 10 games. His totals of nearly 4,600 yards and 39 touchdowns are fit for MVP consideration, not just Comeback Player of the Year. This might be one of the few cases where nice guys don’t finish last. Other candidates: J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans Before slowing down toward the end of the year, Watt seemed like one...