Alex Smith Heavily Favored to Win NFL Comeback Player of the Year After Beating Steelers; Does Roethlisberger Present Any Value?
- Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith is the overwhelming -5000 favorite to be named NFL Comeback Player of the Year
- Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger (+1200) is the only other player upon whom odds are being offered
- See updated odds and picks to win the 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award below
Alex Smith and Ben Roethlisberger, the two contenders for the 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award, went head-to-head on Monday at Heinz Field. Smith’s Washington Football Team upset Roethlisberger’s Pittsburgh Steelers 23-17.
That outcome knocked 11-1 Pittsburgh from the ranks of the unbeaten. However, that’s not why Smith is the overwhelming favorite to win the NFL CPOY.
Let’s face it. The moment that Smith took the field as starting QB for Washington in Week 10, this award was his and his alone. At that point, he became the odds-on -330 favorite to be named NFL CPOY.
There hasn’t been a more epic comeback story written in NFL history than the one Smith is penning this year. His return from the horrific leg fracture he suffered in 2018 is astonishing.
2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year Odds
| Player (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Alex Smith (Washington) | -5000 |
| Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers) | +1200 |
Odds as of Dec. 8th
Running back John Riggins, in 1978, is the only Washington player to win the NFL COPY Award.
Smith Comeback Amazes All Of NFL
That Smith is even playing in the NFL at all is nothing short of miraculous. During a Nov. 18, 2018 game against the Houston Texans, Smith was sacked.
On the play, he suffered compound fractures to both the tibia and fibula of his right leg. Following his first surgery, a flesh-eating bacteria infected Smith’s leg. Smith became septic due to the invasive disease that was attacking his body. There was concern of permanent damage to his vital organs.
ALEX. SMITH.
‣ Suffers career-threatening injury in 2018
‣ Needs 17 surgeries to keep his leg
‣ In 2020, makes @WashingtonNFL's roster
‣ Takes role as No. 3 QB
‣ Regains job as starter in week 10
‣ Beats the undefeated Steelers in Week 13Incredible. pic.twitter.com/F1su0hl0vk
— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) December 8, 2020
Saving his life now became the first priority of the physicians assigned to treat him. Saving the leg was the second order of business. As far as saving his football career, at that point, it wasn’t even under consideration.
Eventually, Smith ended up requiring 17 surgeries to repair all the damage to his injured leg. Smith underwent muscle transfer and microvascular surgery to help combat the damage done by the infection.
Following 20 months of recovery and rehab, Smith was given clearance to resume working out on July 24th of this year.
Washington Might Make The Playoffs
Just playing again would be enough to warrant naming Smith, 36, the NFL CPOY. However, he’s also winning.
Monday, he completed 31-of-46 passes for 296 yards and a touchdown. Washington is 4-2 in its last six games.
What Alex Smith has done is unbelievable.
Comeback Player of the Year even before taking a snap.
But playing winning football after everything he’s been through is even more incredible.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) December 8, 2020
They are 3-1 since Smith took over as the starting QB. At 5-7, Washington and the New York Giants are in a tie for top spot in the NFC East.
Roethlisberger Rolling Along
Under normal circumstances, the clock would be tolling for a Big Ben comeback reckoning. He suffered a season-ending elbow injury in Pittsburgh’s second game of the 2019 campaign. Surgery was required.
At 37, he’s come back to lead Pittsburgh to an 11-0 start and the NFL’s best record. Roethlisberger is also in the top five on the odds board for NFL MVP.
After his 2nd-qtr pass TD to Diontae Johnson, Ben Roethlisberger has a pass TD in all 12 games in 2020
He joins Patrick Mahomes as the only players to have 1+ pass TD in every one of their team's games this season @steelers
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) December 7, 2020
He’s passed for 3,105 yards and 27 TDs against just seven interceptions. Roethlisberger leads the NFL with 324 completions.
Big Ben was the +225 NFL CPOY favorite when this betting market first opened back in March.
Even Big Ben Would Vote For Alex
Some football pundits have gone as far as to suggest that the NFL CPOY Award be renamed the Alex Smith NFL CPOY Award in recognition of his monumental return to play.
Also, can they just give Alex Smith the Comeback Player of the Year award now?
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) December 8, 2020
Speaking to the media prior to Monday’s game, it was sounding like Roethlisberger would give his NFL CPOY nod to Smith.
He was heaping praise on Smith’s remarkable return. “I can’t imagine the things he has gone through,” Roethlisberger said. “To get back on the field and play and play well, you have to tip your cap to him because that takes determination.
https://twitter.com/BenFros31636333/status/1336047174837157888?s=20
“It takes perseverance, passion, love for the game. It’s a pretty awesome story.”
If you think anyone but Smith is going to be named NFL CPOY, congratulations. You just qualified to fill two roles in the cast of the Wizard of Oz, because clearly, you are lacking both a heart and a brain.
Pick: Alex Smith (Washington Football Team) -5000
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
