AP honors Stafford with Comeback Player of the Year honor

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has been named the Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

The award was announced during the inaugural NFL Honors event, held in Indianapolis as part of the Super Bowl festivities. 

Stafford, who missed most of 2010 with two separate shoulder injuries, led the Lions to a 10-6 record and the team's first playoff appearance since 1999. 

The third-year quarterback from Georgia, who threw for 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2011, finished first in the balloting with 21 votes, followed by Cleveland linebacker D'Qwell Jackson and San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith.