# Matt Severance: The unsigned CBS Sports writer says the newly unretired Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald would be his pick to win NFL Comeback Player of the Year, calling it a Hollywood story. **Claimed:** Sep 2, 2026 **Pundit:** Matt Severance — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/pundits/matt-severance **Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/outlets/cbs-sports **How it reached us:** published in writing **Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/betting/news/2026-nfl-comeback-player-of-year-trends-odds-sportsbook-rooting-against-patrick-mahomes-deshaun-watson/ One checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened. It names 2 players and teams, each linked to their own record. Nothing to score yet: this grades once the result is in. > Considering the future Hall of Famer hasn't played since 2023, he'd be my choice as it would be a story right out of Hollywood. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **Aaron Donald to win Comeback Player of the Year** - Kind: Award Picks · About: Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - Aaron Donald — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/players/aaron-donald - Los Angeles Rams — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/nfl/teams/rams ## What others said about the same people - Nick Shook on Aaron Donald: Shook unveiled his first NFL power rankings of the year, putting the Rams first, the Broncos second and the defending champion Seahawks only third, with the Dolphins last. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/ea18c6ec-7662-4e66-91ed-4d0ef9d7d97d (scored 100) - Jared Dubin on Los Angeles Rams: Dubin picks the Rams, Texans, Ravens, Bengals, Packers, Cowboys and Broncos in Week 1 with exact scores, and says the Rams are his pick to win the Super Bowl this season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/5017ce6e-d3fa-471a-bcf6-b9834182fded (scored 26.19) - Jordan Dajani on Los Angeles Rams: Dajani picks the Rams over the 49ers, Texans over Bills, Ravens over Colts, Bengals over Buccaneers, Vikings over Packers, Cowboys over Giants and Broncos over Chiefs in Week 1, with exact scores. He also predicts the Bills win the AFC East, the Cowboys win their division, and Caleb Downs wins Defensive Rookie of the Year. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f6565d23-03db-4e60-a574-21a0b86dafb0 (scored 11.9) - Jared Dubin on Los Angeles Rams: The unsigned CBS Sports preview picks the Rams to beat the 49ers 31-21 in the Week 1 game in Melbourne, and also names the Rams as its Super Bowl winner for the season. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/71ca9946-84c7-4234-bc1e-37db563e9ccd (scored 26.19) - Mike Florio on Los Angeles Rams: Florio gives score predictions for every Week 1 game of the 2026 NFL season, including an opening-night upset by the Patriots in Seattle and narrow home wins for the Giants and Chiefs. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/4b20f46e-ebc0-462f-9e7a-2ab82f91a2ea (scored 28.57) - Gilberto Manzano on Los Angeles Rams: Manzano's Week 1 straight-up picks for all 16 games. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f6e2bb80-47ba-4803-9002-1ab10e7ee54c (scored 0) ## More award picks The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Gregg Rosenthal on Tristan Wirfs: Rosenthal picked Patrick Mahomes for MVP, Micah Parsons for Defensive Player of the Year, Jahmyr Gibbs for Offensive Player of the Year, Aaron Glenn for Coach of the Year, Travis Hunter for both Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year, Bill Callahan for Assistant Coach of the Year and Tristan Wirfs for Protector of the Year. He also made depth-chart calls on Adam Thielen and Jalen Coker. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/88928365-78fb-4f7b-84a4-0dd7856ba9cc (scored 0) - Jourdan Rodrigue on Penei Sewell: Rodrigue picked Patrick Mahomes for MVP, Jared Verse for Defensive Player of the Year, Ja'Marr Chase for Offensive Player of the Year, Mike Vrabel for Coach of the Year, TreVeyon Henderson for Offensive Rookie of the Year and Abdul Carter for Defensive Rookie of the Year, with Jesse Minter for Assistant Coach of the Year and Penei Sewell for Protector of the Year. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/f3ba94ea-a935-4534-88e4-bb6027bf87ad (scored 0) - Brandon Sneide on Drake Maye: Snyder picks the Seahawks to beat the Patriots 31-23 in Super Bowl 60, believing Seattle pulls away late, and says Drake Maye will finish second in MVP voting behind Matthew Stafford. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1cf83e90-e59f-4c8f-941f-c732efcb4c03 (scored 0) - Nick Wright on Rashid Shaheed: Nick picked Seattle to win the Super Bowl 27-17, citing Seattle's defense, coaching against young quarterbacks and schedule strength, and named Rasheed Shaheed as his dark horse Super Bowl MVP. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1fe4abc6-28e3-412b-ab6e-d2f65f25682f (scored 0) - Chris Broussard on Cooper Kupp: Broussard picked New England to beat Seattle 24-21, with Drake May winning Super Bowl MVP, and named Cooper Kupp as his dark horse MVP. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/1247ee30-3338-4940-8fc9-977cc215ff59 (scored 0) - Eric Mangini on Drake Maye: Mangini picked the Patriots 23-20 with Drake May as Super Bowl MVP, and earlier named Kayshon Boutte ("Kaeshawn Booty") as his dark horse MVP. — https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/opinions/332dce8c-f71c-4f26-a976-8f4615a9f9bd (scored 0) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.thegoodapps.co/corrections?pundit=matt-severance