# Best Comeback Athlete ESPY Award

The Best Comeback Athlete ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1993 to the sportsperson, irrespective of gender, contesting a team sport professionally under the auspices of one of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada or an individual sport on either an amateur or professional basis primarily in the United States or internationally under the auspices of a sport governing body adjudged to have made the most significant, profound, or impressive comeback from serious illness, injury, personal or familial hardship, retirement, or significant loss of form.
Between 1993 and 2004, the award voting panel comprised variously fans; sportswriters and broadcasters, sports executives, and retired sportspersons, termed collectively experts; and ESPN personalities, but balloting thereafter has been exclusively by fans over the Internet from amongst choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee.
Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in June and reflect performance from the June previous. The award wasn't awarded in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

## List of winners

| Year | Sportsperson | Nationality | Team | Competition, federation, or league | Sport |
| 1993 | Dave Winfield | United States | Toronto Blue Jays | Major League Baseball | Baseball |
| 1994 | Mario Lemieux | Canada | Pittsburgh Penguins | National Hockey League | Ice hockey |
| 1995 | Dan Marino | United States | Miami Dolphins | National Football League | American football |
| 1996 | Michael Jordan | United States | Chicago Bulls | National Basketball Association | Basketball |
| 1997 | Evander Holyfield | United States | not applicable | not applicable | Boxing (Heavyweight) |
| 1998 | Roger Clemens | United States | Toronto Blue Jays | Major League Baseball | Baseball |
| 1999 | Eric Davis | United States | Baltimore Orioles | Major League Baseball | Baseball |
| 2000 | Lance Armstrong | United States | US Postal | UCI ProTour | Road bicycle racing |
| 2001 | Andrés Galarraga | Venezuela | Atlanta Braves | Major League Baseball | Baseball |
| 2002 | Jennifer Capriati | United States | not applicable | WTA Tour | Tennis |
| 2003 | Tommy Maddox | United States | Pittsburgh Steelers | National Football League | American football |
| 2004 | Bethany Hamilton | United States | surfing | not applicable | Surfing |
| 2005 | Mark Fields | United States | Carolina Panthers | National Football League | American football |
| 2006 | Tedy Bruschi | United States | New England Patriots | National Football League | American football |
| 2007 | No award given | No award given | No award given | No award given | No award given |
| 2008 | Josh Hamilton | United States | Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers | Major League Baseball | Baseball |
| 2009 | Dara Torres | United States | not applicable | not applicable | Swimming |
| 2010 | Kim Clijsters | Belgium | not applicable | WTA Tour | Tennis |
| 2011 | Mark Herzlich | United States | Boston College Eagles | NCAA (Division I FBS) | American football |
| 2012 | Matthew Stafford | United States | Detroit Lions | National Football League (NFL) | American football |
| 2013 | Adrian Peterson | United States | Minnesota Vikings | National Football League (NFL) | American football |
| 2014 | Russell Westbrook | United States | Oklahoma City Thunder | National Basketball Association (NBA) | Basketball |
| 2015 | Rob Gronkowski | United States | New England Patriots | National Football League (NFL) | American football |
| 2016 | Eric Berry | United States | Kansas City Chiefs | National Football League (NFL) | American football |
| 2017 | Jordy Nelson | United States | Green Bay Packers | National Football League (NFL) | American football |
| 2018 | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 2019 | St. Louis Blues | United States | St. Louis Blues | National Hockey League (NHL) | Ice hockey |
| 2020 | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2022 | Klay Thompson | United States | Golden State Warriors | National Basketball Association (NBA) | Basketball |
| 2023 | Jamal Murray | Canada | Denver Nuggets | National Basketball Association (NBA) | Basketball |
| 2024 | Simone Biles | United States | not applicable | not applicable | Gymnastics |