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The NFL Honors Show on Saturday will reveal the 2020 award winners. Favorites for some of the awards are Aaron Rodgers as MVP, Derrick Henry as offensive player of the year, Chase Young as defensive rookie of the year, Justin Herbert as offensive rookie of the year and Kevin Stefanski as coach of the year.
It would be a surprise if any of these choices were unanimous, however, and other candidates for these awards are certainly just as deserving.
The only one chosen is Alex Smith, who is probably the unanimous winner of the return player of the year. How can anyone argue? In fact, they should give his name to the award.
Smith underwent 17 surgeries to save his life and his right leg and missed a year of football rehab before an inspiring comeback in 2020.
The question that Smith left for everyone at the end of the season was: What’s next?
Smith, 36, signed a contract until 2022 with $ 40 million owed to him over the next two seasons and a salary cap of $ 24.4 million for 2021. He has not pledged to return next season.
He joined the Rachael Ray Show this week, though, and made it seem like he’s inclined to make a comeback.
“For me, this year was a crazy race to be there, practicing there every day, so I could put on my boots and helmet,” said Smith on the show, via Ethan Cadeaux of NBC Sports Washington. “But for me, the craziest thing was how well my body responded to that. I just feel like I kept getting stronger and better and better. I still feel like a child now entering the off season. . . . I had a lot of fun playing. I felt so good out there. It was crazy after that first game how comfortable I felt back on the field.
Smith plans to ski and snowboard this season, he said.
“I’m excited for this off season to see what I can do – football and everything,” said Smith. “I intend to do as much as I can.”