Tom Brady
Tom Brady New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has gone from record-setting MVP to injured superstar to The Associated Press 2009 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

Brady's strong return from a left knee injury that sidelined him for almost of the 2008 season the Pats signal caller the award Wednesday. As one of football's biggest stars, Brady has gone from NFL Most Valuable Player in 2007, to sidelined last year, to earning his second league award.

From a nationwide panel of 50 NFL sports writers and broadcasters, Brady received 19 votes. He beat out Carnell Williams, running back from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who finished second with 14 votes.

Brady is a three-time Super Bowl winner and a finalist for AP Player of the Decade. On the way to throwing for almost 4,400 yards and tossing 28 touchdowns in 2009, he led New England to a 10-6 record and the AFC East
title this season.

"I think missing all of last season was a very challenging experience because I love to play the game," Brady said during the season. "I love to play. It's a very physical sport, football. I had an unfortunate injury, but I think it's really helped me grow in a lot of ways as a person, as a player, as a teammate.

Coach Bill Belichick's praise wasn't exactly exuberant, but he certainly appreciates what Brady means to his team.

"He started off in the spring and did everything that everybody else did all the way through: the offseason program, spring workouts, minicamp, training camp, preseason, all of that," Belichick said. "So he's had a solid year."

Brady is the second Patriot to win the award; linebacker Tedy Bruschi shared it with Carolina receiver Steve Smith in 2005. He is the fifth quarterback honored since the award began in 1998, including Chad Pennington, who won in 2006 and 2008.