<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Bruschi And Smith Tie For Comeback Player Of The Year Award5th January, 2006 - 6:47 amAP - Tedy Bruschi didn't get a chance to tackle Steve Smith when the Patriots played the Panthers in September. By midseason, he'd made a remarkable comeback from a stroke and was starting for New England.Bruschi's return was as impressive as Smith's achievement of returning from a knee injury that cost the Carolina receiver nearly all of the 2004 season. On Thursday, they shared The Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year award.The Patriots' star linebacker and defensive leader made it back on Oct. 30 after originally expecting to sit out the entire schedule. By then, Smith was on his way to leading the NFL in most receiving categories. Both sparked their teams into the playoffs."I'm a football player by trade. That's what I do," Bruschi said. "So I did everything I could to make myself a football player again.</div>http://www.realgmfootball.com/src_wiretap_...the_year_award/
