NFL Honors: Geno Smith wins AP Comeback Player of the Year award

Geno Smith was written off, but the voters have written him in as Comeback Player of the Year.

The Seattle Seahawks quarterback’s incredible 2022 season has earned him the NFL’s official Associated Press award. Smith had 28 first-place votes, 16 more than runner-up Christian McCaffrey. Even with the ranked choice points system, Smith still prevailed with the most points overall.

Smith’s career began inauspiciously with the New York Jets, who drafted him in Round 2 back in 2013 and needless to say his time there was not a good one. He spent several seasons as a backup for the New York Giants, Los Angeles Chargers, and then the Seahawks. When Russell Wilson got traded, Smith was named the starter for the 2022 season, and he only went on to throw for 30 touchdowns and lead the NFL in completion percentage. Oh yeah, and the Seahawks made the playoffs after many expected the team to be nowhere near postseason contention.

This is a monumental win for Geno and also the Seahawks organization. Believe it or not, this is the very first NFL AP award any Seahawks member has won in the Pete Carroll era, and the first one for any Seahawk since Shaun Alexander took Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable player honors in his record-setting 2005 season.

Congratulations to Geno, who is due for a big payday this offseason and it seems more likely than not that it will come from the Seahawks.

In case you’re wondering, Smith was not in attendance at the awards ceremony. He’s still busy writing back.