PORTLAND, Ore. – Major League Soccer today announced Portland Timbers midfielder Rodney Wallace as the 2014 Comeback Player of the Year.
The award, which honors a player who has successfully overcome a significant hardship during the year, was voted on by media, MLS players and MLS club management based on regular-season performance.
Wallace, 26, missed the first 16 regular-season matches of 2014 while recovering from offseason knee surgery. The midfielder registered five goals and one assist in 17 appearances (12 starts) this season for the Timbers after successfully returning from a knee injury sustained in the second leg of the 2013 MLS Western Conference Championship against Real Salt Lake on Nov. 24, 2013. Making his regular-season debut on June 27 against Sporting Kansas City, Wallace appeared in 17 of the team’s 18 remaining matches, logging 1,058 minutes and tallying three goals in back-to-back victories over San Jose in October.
Wallace is the first Timbers player to earn the Comeback Player of the Year award in the team’s MLS era.
The other finalists for the 2014 Comeback Player of the Year included forward Charlie Davies (New England Revolution) and goalkeeper Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC). Below is a breakdown of the voting for the top four candidates:
| Player (Club) | % of Club Votes | % of Media Votes | % of Player Votes | Weighted Total |
| Rodney Wallace (POR) | 19.59 | 16.28 | 28.15 | 64.02 |
| Charlie Davies (NE) | 18.29 | 16.28 | 25.40 | 59.97 |
| Stefan Frei (SEA) | 21.95 | 24.42 | 8.01 | 54.38 |
| Chris Pontius (DC) | 12.19 | 12.79 | 13.04 | 38.02 |
MLS Comeback Player of the Year Winners:
2014: Rodney Wallace – Portland Timbers
2013: Kevin Alston – New England Revolution
2012: Eddie Johnson – Seattle Sounders FC
2011: David Beckham – LA Galaxy
2010: Bobby Convey – San Jose Earthquakes
2009: Zach Thornton – Chivas USA
2008: Kenny Cooper – FC Dallas
2007: Eddie Johnson – Kansas City Wizards
2006: Richard Mulrooney – FC Dallas
2005: Chris Klein – Kansas City Wizards
2004: Brian Ching – San Jose Earthquakes
2003: Chris Armas – Chicago Fire
2002: Chris Klein – Kansas City Wizards
2001: Troy Dayak – San Jose Earthquakes
2000: Tony Meola – Kansas City Wizards
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Main Photo via Getty Images.
