Kelly Stafford is speaking candidly about married life as she and husband Matthew Stafford reach their tenth anniversary on April 4.
The 35-year-old podcast host shared her thoughts on the challenges she and the 37-year-old NFL star have encountered during a recent episode of The Morning After podcast.
“Marriage is really f—— hard,” she stated during the episode.
“Anyone saying otherwise is totally f—— lying,” she added, explaining how tough it is to shift from focusing only on yourself to prioritizing your partner and children instead.
“Things only get harder the more that life throws at you,” she went on. “[Marriage is about] learning to communicate and grow alongside each other. Arguing is okay as long as it’s done respectfully and you allow each other to be open and feel safe.”
Kelly shared that she and Matthew have experienced plenty of ups and downs, recalling how tough things were during their first year as husband and wife.
“Not much really changed once we tied the knot,” Kelly said. “We were already living together, but then we had to deal with IVF and fertility struggles right off the bat.”
She explained that during that season, both she and Matthew figured out how to lean on one another and “work through those moments” as a team.
Even with the challenges, Kelly shared that the secret to keeping their relationship strong has been “constant upkeep,” especially with the demands of raising their four daughters: Sawyer, Chandler, Hunter, and Tyler.
“When life gets hectic with the kids, football season, or family visits, we tend to put each other last and assume the other is fine,” she explained.
When things feel overwhelming, Kelly turns to her sister’s advice about carving out time together intentionally.
“She told me, ‘You don’t need to plan anything big. It doesn’t have to be a fancy night out—just enjoy each other’s company, even if it’s just sharing a drink on the porch,’” she said.
“The best relationships are the ones where partners grow and change together,” Kelly added. “That means being open-minded, trying new things, and allowing space to change without feeling threatened.”