While the Detroit Lions have a bye week this weekend, former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams are preparing for their Wild Card playoff matchup against the
Minnesota Vikings on Monday, January 13. The winner of this game will advance to the next round of the playoffs and move closer to the Super Bowl.Unfortunately, Stafford received some personal bad news ahead of the game. His wife, Kelly, hosts a podcast where she discusses everything from football to their family life.
On the January 7 episode of her show, “The Morning After with Kelly Stafford and Hank,” she shared that she was feeling ill with the flu. Kelly even mentioned that she offered to leave the house and stay elsewhere with their children to prevent Matthew from catching her illness.
However, things worsened as Kelly posted a photo on her Instagram story showing Matthew at the hospital with their children: Sawyer, Chandler, Hunter, and Tyler.
Kelly captioned the photo, “Last night was long” and included an image of two of their kids in a hospital bed.
She added that everyone was now resting except for Hunter, who seemed energetic, joking, “Feels like she drank a Celsius.”
Despite the stressful situation, Kelly shared a more positive image afterward, showing her kids smiling with Matthew before their hospital visit.
The photo was captioned, “Before that tho, they were all smiles getting to go with daddy on his work trip.”
Having children in the hospital can be a terrifying experience, and the hope is that the Stafford children will recover quickly, with Kelly’s flu symptoms improving as well.
Matthew’s “work trip” refers to his upcoming game against the Vikings in Arizona.
Due to the wildfires in Southern California, the game was moved from the Rams’ home stadium in Inglewood to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. This change means that the Rams lose their home-field advantage, which could be a disadvantage for them in the game.
However, the challenges of playing away from home seem minor compared to the devastation caused by the wildfires, and Rams head coach Sean McVay expressed his concern for those affected by the fires.
During a press conference on January 9, McVay said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody that’s been affected by these fires.”
Matthew also addressed the situation during the same press conference, emphasizing that the game would serve as an important escape for fans facing hardship due to the ongoing crisis.
“We play for the people in this community, the people that support us,” Matthew said. “And this week will be another example of that.”
Matthew Stafford spent 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions before being traded to the Rams in 2021.
Along with the trade, the Lions acquired franchise quarterback Jared Goff and additional draft picks.
In summary, while the Stafford family faces a personal health crisis, Matthew and his team are focused on the upcoming playoff game.
The situation with the wildfires adds a layer of difficulty, but the hope is that the game will bring some relief and excitement to the community.