Chargers Philip Rivers named AP Comeback Player of the Year

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY SportsSan Diego,CA- San Diego Chargers Quarterback Philip Rivers has been named AP Comeback Player of the Year at the NFL Honors award show Saturday. Rivers lead the Chargers to the playoffs this season after his first losing season in his career last season.

The resurgence of Philip Rivers this season under new Chargers Head Coach Mike McCoy was the key reason why the Chargers were able to make their late season playoff run. During the Chargers season-closing 4-game win streak when the Chargers needed Rivers the most he was 74-110 passing (67.3% completion percentage) for 845 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions. The Chargers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 27-10 and advanced to the AFC Divisional Round before falling to the Denver Broncos 24-17.

Rivers has completed a team record 378 of 544 passes this season for 4,478 yards with 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. River’s 32 TDs was 2nd-highest career season total and his 4,478 pass yards was 3rd-highest season total of his career. Rivers also has a completion percentage of 69.7 this season that leads all NFL Quarterbacks.

Rivers finished the year fifth in the NFL in passing yards, fourth in the NFL in passing touchdowns, and fourth in the NFL in quarterback rating.

Rivers also became just the third Quarterback in NFL history to throw for 25-plus touchdown seasons for six straight seasons. Rivers also threw for over 4,000 yards for the fifth time in his career to become only the sixth Quarterback in NFL history with at least five 4,000 yard seasons.

Rivers is the second San Diego Charger to be named Comeback Player of the Year after Drew Brees won it in 2004.