Jahvid Best selected as Lions' 2012 Ed Block Courage Award recipient

Although he hasn't played a game with the Lions since Week 6 of the 2011 NFL season, Jahvid Best is an award-winner after he was selected as the recipient of the 2012 Ed Block Courage Award on Friday.

The Lions took a gamble by selecting the highly-talented Cal running back with the 30th pick in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft after he suffered a violent concussion that ended his 2009 season with the Golden Bears. He paid immediate dividends for the Lions with over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns as a rookie, but was the victim of more concussions in 2011 that ended his season.

While he has yet to return from the injuries, Lions coordinator of athletic medicine, Dean Kleinschmidt, explained in a press release why Best is very deserving of the award:

"Jahvid Best is most deserving of this tribute bestowed by his teammates and the team sports medicine department. He has fought through the difficulties of many post-concussion signs and symptoms and implicitly followed the directions of several of the nation's leading medical experts on head injuries. For the past year he has endured countless hours of cognitive rehabilitation and therapy with enthusiasm and eagerness, without complaint, anger or impatience. I have never pulled harder for an injured athlete to return to the field of play."

Best was placed on the injured reserve in early November, ending the possibility of a comeback during the 2012 season.