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Introduction Some COVID-19 patients develop respiratory failure requiring admission to intensive care unit (ICU). We aim to evaluate the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) post-ICU in COVID-19 patients. Methods Twenty-one COVID-19 patients were evaluated pre- and post-PR and compared retrospectively to a non-COVID-19 group of 21 patients rehabilitated after ICU admission due to respiratory failure. Results PR induced greater 6-min walking distance improvement in COVID-19 patients (+205 ± 121 m) than in other respiratory failure patients post-ICU (+93 ± 66 m). The sooner PR was performed post-ICU, the better patients recovered. Conclusions PR induced large functional improvements in COVID-19 patients post-ICU although significant physical and psychosocial impairments remained post-PR.