Why Kelly Stafford, wife of former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, won’t be at the season opener
Terrion Arnold talks about Matthew Stafford’s “no-look throws”
Terrion Arnold talks about Matthew Stafford’s “no-look throws”
Kelly Stafford, wife of former Detroit Lions and current Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, will not be at Ford Field on Sunday night to watch the teams’ season opener.
“The first week of Sunday Night Football is incredible,” Kelly said on an Aug. 21 edition of her podcast “The Morning After.” “It’s going to be so much fun. The atmosphere is going to be so crazy again. … Physically, I won’t be there, no. I’m going to get on a plane after our incredible, incredible live show (in Detroit on Saturday) and fly home so I can watch it here with my daughters.”
Sunday’s game marks the second time Matthew Stafford has returned to Detroit after being traded to the Rams in 2021. Stafford helped the Rams win a Super Bowl in his first year with the team before the Lions knocked the Rams out of the playoffs in the wild-card round last season.
“I have such fond memories of this dome,” Kelly said. “The last memory I have wasn’t that great, but I saw Detroit in a playoff game, which was really cool because we were never there – a home game. That was really, really cool for me, and obviously I know how passionate those fans are and I miss them. I also just want to continue to have great memories of this place. …
“You always hear the worst (fans). You don’t hear people saying, ‘Thanks for everything you do.’ You hear people saying, ‘Fuck you, Kelly!’ There are a lot of people in the stadium, but that’s what you hear and that’s what you hold on to. And I don’t want to hold on to that. I’d rather watch it at home and remember all the incredible times I had there.”
Kelly added that she asked her daughters if they wanted to return to Ford Field, and Kelly says they said no. After last season’s playoff game, she and her daughters were booed by fans, Kelly said.
“That’s another reason why we’re not going back to the game, you know?” Kelly said. “There’s a lot to it, but I think it’s the better decision for my mental health and for my daughters. My husband doesn’t want to hear me say ‘Ugh’ and get upset or anything like that. Not that I would, because I grew up with that experience too. You forget that this is football and that this is a big deal in Detroit and all that stuff. I forgot that.
“I was so emotionally involved that I forgot that this is a playoff football game. I think I would be better at preparing my daughters in some ways as well, but I just don’t think it’s worth it right now. … It’s just better this way.”
Matthew made an appearance in a recent podcast episode on Tuesday.
“I’m excited to get back to Detroit,” he said. “Listen, this is a great opportunity. They’re a really good football team. They made it to the NFC Championship last year. Really talented. (They’re) bringing a lot of guys back. Big challenge. I’ve been there before. That’s over. And it’s the start of a season too, right? Last year it was win or go home; it was a little more final.
“This one — obviously you want to win every football game you’re in — but we’re just going to use it as an opportunity to get better and hopefully win a game. That’s the mindset, but we know it’s going to be a big challenge. They’re going to challenge us both schematically and personnel-wise. They’ve got really good players.”
Kelly mentioned on Tuesday that Ford Field is “really damn loud.”
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“Obviously I hope you all kick some butt,” Kelly Matthew said on the podcast. “I love Detroit, but you know what? They won last year. Now it’s our turn. I’ll say one thing too. I hope for a second when Martha (Ford) is down there that you guys get a second. I had such an incredible time at her last game. Since I won’t be there, I would hope that maybe you guys get a little second to just wave and say hi. I don’t know. I’ve just always had so much respect for her and that family. I’m happy for her, but again, I hope you guys kick some butt.”
The Lions, who narrowly missed out on a win against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game last season, are now hoping to make it to the first Super Bowl in franchise history. The road to that goal begins against Stafford, who spent 12 seasons with the team.
“The NFL is awesome when it comes to this kind of stuff, right? What are you going to talk to people about on the radio? Well, let’s give them storylines for the first week,” Matthew said. “What are they going to talk about in the middle of July when training camps haven’t happened yet and all that stuff?”
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