Saints’ Chris Olave Earns Team Comeback Player of the Year - and Deserved So Much More
As we continue breaking down the standout performers from the New Orleans Saints' 2025 season, the team’s Comeback Player of the Year honor goes to wide receiver Chris Olave - and for good reason. This wasn’t just a bounce-back season.
It was a statement. A reminder of the talent, resilience, and sheer willpower that makes the NFL’s best not just great athletes, but incredible stories.
Now, let’s be clear: Cam Jordan made this a tough call. The veteran defensive end had a season worthy of recognition in its own right.
After back-to-back years of declining sack numbers and whispers that his best days were behind him, Jordan turned back the clock and delivered a 10-sack campaign - his first time hitting double digits since 2021. That’s not just productive; that’s defiant.
He proved he’s still got juice, and his impact on the Saints’ defensive front was undeniable.
But Olave’s journey? That hits on a different level.
We're talking about a 24-year-old who, just a year ago, was staring down the possibility of an early retirement. Olave’s concussion history is well documented, and the one he suffered in 2024 sidelined him for the second half of that season.
The physical toll was one thing - the mental toll another. After the season, he seriously considered walking away from the game.
That kind of crossroads can derail a career. For Olave, it became fuel.
Fast forward to 2025, and Olave didn’t just return - he exploded.
He posted career highs across the board: 100 receptions, 1,163 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns. Those numbers alone are impressive, but context takes them to another level.
He came within a single touchdown of becoming the first player in Saints history to log a 100-catch, 1,000-yard, 10-touchdown season. That’s rare air, even for a franchise that’s seen its share of elite pass-catchers.
And this wasn’t just a local comeback story. Olave finished seventh in the NFL in receptions, and eighth in both receiving yards and touchdowns. That’s not just a nice season - that’s top-tier production, period.
The league took notice. Olave earned his first All-Pro nod, and it wasn’t some feel-good gesture or comeback sympathy vote.
It was a recognition of what he did between the lines. Week after week, he was one of the most reliable and dynamic receivers in the league.
Whether it was stretching the field, working the sidelines, or making tough catches in traffic, Olave looked like a complete receiver - and a cornerstone piece for the Saints’ offense moving forward.
And yet, when it came time for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year conversation, Olave’s name wasn’t on the finalist list. That’s a miss.
This award often leans toward quarterbacks - and yes, there were some compelling stories under center this year. But when you stack up Olave’s production, his All-Pro status, and the fact that he came back from a potentially career-ending injury at such a young age, it’s hard to argue he didn’t belong in that conversation.
For the Saints, though, the picture is clear. Chris Olave is their Comeback Player of the Year - and he earned every bit of that recognition.
He didn’t just return to form. He elevated it.
He reminded everyone what kind of player he is when healthy, and maybe more importantly, what kind of competitor he is when tested.
The NFL might’ve overlooked him on the national stage. But in New Orleans, and among those who truly understand what it takes to come back from the edge, Olave’s 2025 season will be remembered for what it was - one of the most inspiring and dominant performances in the league.