When it comes to comebacks, the Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is no stranger. The former 1st overall pick has won two Comeback Player of the Year awards. This upcoming season seems just like those two years.

However, this time, he has a big obstacle in the way of him securing another Comeback Player of the Year award. According to the 2026 comeback player rankings by Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, Mahomes is first, while Burrow is fourth.

“As a two-time Comeback Player of the Year, Burrow has a track record of returning from injury to perform at an elite level. Of course, that may be viewed as a negative in the eye of voters seeking a fresh story for 2026,” Knox wrote.

Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs is returning from an ACL and LCL tear that he suffered against the Chargers last season. And per Knox, Mahomes’ potential storyline is a bit more compelling.

“Seeing one of the league’s brightest stars overcome the biggest challenges of his pro career could easily become one of the defining storylines of 2026,” Knox added.

Despite the competition from Mahomes, Burrow’s case is still strong. He technically started 8 games, went 5-3 and in the games he missed, the Bengals had a record of 1-8.

This is going to be another chapter in the rivalry between Burrow and Mahomes who are defining figures of the AFC. However, expectations for Joe Burrow are still sky-high.

Joe Burrow Considered As A Favorite For MVP

Bleacher Report’s Moe Morton recently released a list ranking the top candidates to win MVP who have never won the award before. At the top of the list was the Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow.

“Two-time Comeback Player of the Year Joe Burrow is in the No.1 spot. He possesses MVP-caliber talent and has the support cast to rack up big numbers,” Morton wrote.

He mentioned how Burrow has showcased his ability before, but that there’s one major factor that would help his case.

“Burrow’s MVP case comes down to two factors: staying healthy and Bengals winning more games,” he added.

He’s only played every game of a season twice in his career. He has also missed 7 or more games in 2 of the last 3 seasons as well. This has caused the Bengals to not make the playoffs since the 2022 campaign.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, 2026 could be a make-or-break campaign when it comes to Joe Burrow's future in Cincinnati.

“This is considered to be a hugely significant season for Joe Burrow and his future in Cincinnati. If the Bengals cannot turn it around, some have speculated about whether Burrow might wonder whether he is better off playing in another NFL city,” Schefter said.

This makes the 2026 season one of the most important seasons for both the Bengals and Burrow. If things work out well, we could see an MVP for Burrow and the Bengals making the playoffs.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Dhruv Vishnu Nair

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore