University of Georgia Athletics
Garrison Hearst Wins AP Comeback Player Of Year
January 10, 2002 | Football
Jan. 10, 2002
By BARRY WILNER AP Football Writer
A year ago, Garrison Hearst couldn't have imagined rushing for 1,000 yards or winning any NFL awards. Now, the San Francisco 49ers' determined running back has done both.
Hearst won The Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year award Thursday. He was a runaway winner in balloting by a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL, receiving 47 of the 50 votes.
"I was hoping I'd never win a comeback award again, but if I do, it's just about how people appreciate the things I've gone through," Hearst said. "I didn't do it for awards. I just always knew I wanted to play football again, and I didn't want to go out the way I did."
Hearst broke his left leg in a playoff game at Atlanta in 1999 and missed the next two seasons after developing a circulatory problem following an operation. The problem prevented proper blood flow from reaching his ankle and killed part of one of the bones in his foot. That led to risky bone-plug surgery in July 1999 and again in March 2000 to stimulate circulation.
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