"Matthew Stafford finished his first two NFL seasons on injured reserve. In his third, he led the Detroit Lions to the playoffs for the first time in 12 years and became just the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards.

Stafford was rewarded for his bounce-back year today by being named Pro Football Weekly/Professional Football Writers Association comeback player of the year.

He's also a favorite for the Associated Press award, the one officially recognized by the NFL and handed out on Super Bowl eve. "