IRVING, Texas -- Sean Lee already had the respect of his teammates before his return to the field in 2015, but his Dallas Cowboys teammates paid him more respect by naming him the Ed Block Courage Award winner.

Lee missed the 2014 season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in organized team activities. He played in 14 games in 2015, and the coaches credited him with a team-high 156 tackles. He also had the first 2.5 sacks of his career, 11 tackles for loss and five pass deflections. He also intercepted a pass.

He was named an injury replacement for the Pro Bowl as well.

Each team picks a winner to the one player “who exemplify commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage" and recognizes "extra efforts both on and off the field and their ability to overcome great adversity."

The award ceremony was held Monday in Baltimore.

Lee withstood a rigorous rehab to get back on the field. The Cowboys slowly worked him back into action in the offseason to make sure he would be ready to go in training camp. He missed two games during the season, including the season finale because of a hamstring strain that cost him a chance to earn an extra $2 million toward his 2016 base salary.

Lee is the third straight defensive player to win the award for the Cowboys. Safety Barry Church and defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford won in 2013 and ’14 after suffering Achilles injuries that ended their seasons.

It is possible a defensive player will win the 2016 award as well with Orlando Scandrick returning from a torn ACL that kept him off the field last season.