Former Miami Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill named NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year
Ryan Tannehill’s playing career with the Miami Dolphins showed some bright spots, but overall was shaky at best.
So, naturally, he found success once he left the Dolphins.
He was back in Miami on Saturday, this time to pick up some hardware for his big first year with his new NFL team.
Tannehill, now the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans, was named the Associated Press’ Comeback Player of the Year at the NFL Honors ceremony at Miami’s Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center.
“It’s great to be up here,” Tannehill said. “It’s an honor I guess you never want to initially be up for, but I’m honored just to be recognized.”
Tannehill took over as the Titans’ starting quarterback seven games into the season after incumbent Marcus Mariota struggled through the first third of the season and Tennessee found itself with a 2-4 record.
The response once Tannehill was inserted: A 7-3 record to close out the regular season to clinch a playoff spot and upset wins over the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens in the postseason to reach the AFC Championship game.
“Starting off on the sidelines was tough,” Tannehill said. “As a competitor, just not being in the starting position, just fighting through all the different things you have to navigate with that and then getting the opportunity to play, I knew I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity and not let it slip.”
The magical run ended there, though, with the Kansas City Chiefs ended the Titans season 35-24 a game shy of the Super Bowl.
“Coming up one game short is tough,” Tannehill said on the red carpet Saturday before the announcement. “every day is a little reminder, a little twist in the knife that’s in my heart right now. Every Chiefs jersey I see is just a little more of a dig, but it’s good to be back [in Miami]. I miss the warm weather for sure.”
Tannehill, meanwhile, completed a career-high 70.3 percent of his passes for 2,742 yards and 22 touchdowns against six interceptions.
“I think I’ve had more fun playing football this year than I did the rest of my life,” Tannehill said.
In seven years with the Dolphins — including a season lost in 2017 due to a torn ACL in his left knee —completed 62.8 percent of his passes over 88 games, throwing for 20,434 yards and 123 touchdowns against 75 interceptions.
“I think everything happens for a reason,” Tannehill said. “I had a lot of fun and a lot of great memories in Miami and appreciate my time there and the organization and the fans and everything. Definitely not snuffing my nose out at them. I understand the business. I’m glad things worked out.”
This story was originally published February 1, 2020 at 5:09 PM.
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