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**Shark&Nike** · 04-02-2007, 04:37 AM

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_yl...v=ap&type=lgns

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) -- Chad Pennington spent two nerve-racking weeks at home in Tennessee last fall wondering if his right shoulder would ever be the same.

"That was the lowest point, not knowing what direction I would go in, whether it was good or bad or whether it was with football or without football," the New York Jets quarterback said. "I had no idea."
Pennington overcame a second torn rotator cuff in as many years -- and incredible odds -- to win The Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year award Thursday.

The seven-year veteran acknowledged that dark thoughts passed through his mind in the days following the injury in Week 3 of last season.

"Not having a goal, not having a challenge, not having a carrot out in front of you as an athlete is a bad place to be," Pennington said. "It's sort of like `The Twilight Zone.' You have no drive, you have nothing to go for." His outlook improved after he had surgery and the Jets' medical team helped him focus on his rehabilitation.

"Then I had a challenge ahead of me," he said. "I had a goal, I had something to go after and my total mind-set and attitude changed. I was starting to get back to normal."

And he came back, maybe even better than before. The seven-year veteran has led the Jets to a surprising 10-6 record and a wild-card berth one season after they went 4-12 -- most of it with him sidelined -- and changed coaches. He started all 16 games in a season for the first time, finished second in the AFC with a 95.7 passer rating and threw for a career-high 3,352 yards, along with 17 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Most importantly, he re-emerged as a leader.

"No situation rattles him," receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. "I've never seen him rattled. Obviously, when you have your leader like that, you feel the same way he feels, that we can't get rattled out there."
Pennington earned 27 votes in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. He finished ahead of two other quarterbacks, Drew Brees of New Orleans (8 1/2 ) and Cincinnati's Carson Palmer (5 1/2 ). Pennington, the fifth quarterback to win the award in its nine years, is the first Jet to receive the honor.

04-02-2007, 04:37 AM	#1
Shark&Nike Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 463 Senior Member	Pennington wins AP Comeback Player of Year Award http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_yl...v=ap&type=lgns HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) -- Chad Pennington spent two nerve-racking weeks at home in Tennessee last fall wondering if his right shoulder would ever be the same. "That was the lowest point, not knowing what direction I would go in, whether it was good or bad or whether it was with football or without football," the New York Jets quarterback said. "I had no idea." Pennington overcame a second torn rotator cuff in as many years -- and incredible odds -- to win The Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year award Thursday. The seven-year veteran acknowledged that dark thoughts passed through his mind in the days following the injury in Week 3 of last season. "Not having a goal, not having a challenge, not having a carrot out in front of you as an athlete is a bad place to be," Pennington said. "It's sort of like `The Twilight Zone.' You have no drive, you have nothing to go for." His outlook improved after he had surgery and the Jets' medical team helped him focus on his rehabilitation. "Then I had a challenge ahead of me," he said. "I had a goal, I had something to go after and my total mind-set and attitude changed. I was starting to get back to normal." And he came back, maybe even better than before. The seven-year veteran has led the Jets to a surprising 10-6 record and a wild-card berth one season after they went 4-12 -- most of it with him sidelined -- and changed coaches. He started all 16 games in a season for the first time, finished second in the AFC with a 95.7 passer rating and threw for a career-high 3,352 yards, along with 17 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. Most importantly, he re-emerged as a leader. "No situation rattles him," receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. "I've never seen him rattled. Obviously, when you have your leader like that, you feel the same way he feels, that we can't get rattled out there." Pennington earned 27 votes in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. He finished ahead of two other quarterbacks, Drew Brees of New Orleans (8 1/2 ) and Cincinnati's Carson Palmer (5 1/2 ). Pennington, the fifth quarterback to win the award in its nine years, is the first Jet to receive the honor.
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