New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who rebounded from an injury-plagued 2013 season, was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year by the Professional Football Writers of America.

The PFWA also named Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, who was second in the NFL in rushing yards and led the league in receiving yards by a running back, as the Most Improved Player of the Year.

Gronkowski missed all of training camp and the first six games of the 2013 season with a back injury. He also suffered a knee injury in Week 15 and was placed on injured reserve prior to the final game of the regular season. Gronkowski’s 39 catches for 592 yards and four touchdowns in 2013 was the lowest output of his career.

Back to full health in 2014, he caught 82 passes for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns in 15 games to earn All-Pro honors from the PFWA.

Gronkowski reached 1,000 receiving yards for the second time in his career. He led all NFL tight ends in receiving yards, receiving yards per game at 74.9 and tied for first with his 12 TDs.

Gronkowski is the third member of the Patriots’ organization to receive Comeback Player of the Year honors, joining wide receiver Randy Moss (2007) and quarterback Tom Brady (2009).

Bell had a solid rookie season in 2013 with 244 rushes for 860 yards (3.5 yards per carry) and eight touchdowns to go with 45 receptions for 399 yards out of the backfield for a total of 1,259 scrimmage yards, a Steelers rookie record.

In 2014, Bell hit his stride as he finished second in the league in rushing yards with 1,361 on 290 carries (4.7 yards per rush) and eight TDs on the way to PFWA All-NFL honors. He also led the NFL in running back receiving yards as he more than doubled his output to 854 yards on 83 receptions (10.3 yards per catch) with three touchdowns. HIs 2,215 total scrimmage yards was a franchise record and second in the NFL.

Bell tied for first in the NFL with 13 games of 100 or more yards from scrimmage, and he tied a NFL mark with three straight games of 200 or more scrimmage yards held by Walter Payton in 1977.

Bell is the second Steeler to receive Most Improved Player of the Year honors. Quarterback Kordell Stewart was selected in 2001.

— The Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) is the official voice of pro football writers and is made up of accredited writers who cover the NFL and the 32 teams on a daily basis.