In a quieter ceremony during Super Bowl week, Matthew Stafford won a prestigious honor when he was named Quarterback of the Year by the NFL Alumni Association. He beat out two elite quarterbacks — Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers — for the honor.

The show aired on the NFL Network on Monday night.

“Any time an award like this is given out it's an individual award, but really it’s won by the team. I couldn’t have done it without the teammates and the coaching staff in Detroit. I'm just happy to be part of that team and be part of this,’’ Stafford said when he accepted the award.

Calvin Johnson was nominated for wide receiver of the year but that was won by Hakeem Nicks.

Stafford, who became one of only four quarterbacks ever to pass for more than 5,000 yards in a season, was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year on Saturday night. That's the award he's holding in the photo.

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