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NFL Honors: Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson Win Awards

Lions QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson won awards at the NFL Honors show on Saturday night.

By Sean Yuille
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 03: Professional football player Matthew Stafford (L) and Kelly Hall attend ESPN The Magazine's "NEXT" Event on February 3, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images for ESPN)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 03: Professional football player Matthew Stafford (L) and Kelly Hall attend ESPN The Magazine's "NEXT" Event on February 3, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images for ESPN)
Getty Images for ESPN

On Saturday night in Indianapolis, the inaugural NFL Honors show was held. It was essentially the NFL version of the Oscars, and for the Detroit Lions, quarterback Matthew Stafford, head coach Jim Schwartz and former running back Barry Sanders were in attendance.

Stafford was at the show in part because he was a finalist for the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year. Deion Sanders, Steve Young and Jerry Rice presented the award and made the announcement that Stafford was the winner for 2011.

After coming back from injuries in his first two seasons in the NFL, Stafford put together a tremendous junior campaign that saw him rewrite the Lions record book for passing-related stats. It's no surprise he won the award, and it is well-deserved. Of course, let's hope it's the last time he's in contention for it, as Jim Schwartz suggested on Twitter after the show.

Schwartz was up for the NFL Coach of the Year award, but that went to San Francisco 49ers head coach (and noted handshake enemy) Jim Harbaugh.

The Lions did have somebody other than Stafford receive an award, as wide receiver Calvin Johnson was named the NFL.com Fantasy Player of the Year.