The original comeback story. After his rookie season, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1969 and fought in Vietnam. During a battle, he was shot in the left thigh and hit by grenade shrapnel in his right leg and never expected to play football again. After many seasons spent struggling to return, he finally made the team again in 1974, where he was basically a starter until he retired in 1980 with four Super Bowl titles, more than 3,000 yards rushing, 1,200 receiving, 25 touchdowns, one book (Fighting Back) and one TV movie to his credit.

He was supposed to be a superstar. Drafted in 1998 to take over for Curtis Martin who had left for the new York Jets in the off-season, Edwards ran for more than 1,100 yards as a rookie. Then he blew out his knee in a rookie NFL flag football game in Hawaii. It was so bad, doctors nearly had to amputate his leg, and just walking again was going to be difficult. But Edwards persevered, and finally got back on the gridiron with the Miami Dolphins in 2002. He scored two touchdowns in his first game back.

The Heisman Trophy winner became a CFL institution after leaving the NFL in 1989. Flutie had played for the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots before his eight-year stint across the border, in which he was viewed as the greatest QB to ever play on a 110-yard field. There was a better chance of dial-up internet making a comeback than of Flutie returning to the NFL, but that's what happened when the Bills brought him in in 1998. Not only did he succeed but was a Pro Bowl selection in his first year back, and a cult figure to boot.

A high draft pick out of Georgia, Hearst finally became a star in his sixth NFL season, rushing for more than 1,500 yards in 1998. Then in the playoffs that season, he suffered a broken ankle when he twisted his foot on the turf in Atlanta. It was widely believed he would never play again. Hearst ran into many medical issues as he tried to get back on the field. Finally, in 2001, he was able to return. And what a year. Hearst ran for more than 1,200 yards as he won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award and the San Francisco 49ers went 12-4.

He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 1992 to succeed John Elway eventually. Well, let's just say that didn't happen. He bounced around with the St. Louis Rams, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons before leaving the game altogether and becoming an insurance salesman in 1997. Then a funny thing happened: The XFL came along. True, they were soon done with football but his play with the Los Angeles Extreme (he was my XFL Fantasy QB and I won our league because of him, thank you very much), he earned another shot back in the NFL, this time with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2001. In 2002 he took over for an ineffective Kordell Stewart and led the Steelers to the playoffs.

Bruschi was in the midst of a Hall of Fame-type career when he suffered a stroke just a few days after playing in the 2005 Pro Bowl. He had partial paralysis and announced he would sit out the season. How the heck was a guy going to come back to the league after a stroke? But Bruschi is one of those guys. He was cleared to play football again in October of that year and played the rest of that season and three more before retiring.

Most players on this list had to overcome injury, ineffectiveness or duty to their country. Vick had to overcome a felony conviction for dogfighting and prison time. There was no way I thought he'd ever come back and be the player he was when he resumed his NFL career two years later. But Vick quickly became the Philadelphia Eagles' starting quarterback, and had his best NFL season in 2010, after which he received a $100 million contract. Of course all that money wasn't guaranteed, but still! And now, Eagles coach Chip Kelly has finally taught him how to hold a football. Look out world, he's still got a surprise or two left in his bag of tricks.

A neck injury not only cost him the 2011 season, but his roster spot with the Indianapolis Colts. Would he ever play again? Would he be the same Peyton Manning? It seems like it was just last year we were asking these questions. Here's his 2012 season: 4,659 yards passing, 37 TDs, a division title and a heartbreaking playoff loss. Yup, same old Peyton.