CHAD NAMED NFL COMEBACK PLAYER OF YEAR

By MARK CANNIZZARO

January 5, 2007 -- All the tears shed in quiet moments either by himself or with his wife, Robin, all the grueling rehab and tireless studying and all the mind-numbing self-doubt and obstacles that have relentlessly placed themselves squarely before Chad Pennington have led him to Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Patriots in an AFC wild-card showdown at Gillette Stadium, where he'll play the biggest game of his life.

There isn't a place the Jets quarterback would rather be.

There isn't a place he deserves to be more.

And speaking of deserving, Pennington yesterday was named the Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year for his remarkable, determined return from a second rotator cuff surgery in two years, a massive pay cut and a stressful four-way quarterback competition in training camp.

"If anyone has ever deserved that award I feel in my heart that Chad does," backup QB Patrick Ramsey, one of Pennington's training camp competitors, said.

"I would have been very mad if he didn't get it," Jerricho Cotchery said. "Somebody would have had to answer some questions from me if he hadn't gotten it."

The unenviable journey Pennington traveled en route to this fitting award and to the playoffs is not one most people in his position would have and could have endured.