Being a mom to four young girls would have been a Herculean task in itself, but for Kelly Stafford, when you add Matthew Stafford’s football life into the mix, things tend to become harder still. Through all the offseason and regular season chaos, Kelly’s focus remains her kids, but balancing everything seems to be taking a toll on her.
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Kelly recently launched a Q&A session through her Instagram stories. The questions that poured in ranged from gameday fits, their dogs, Kelly’s podcast, her skincare, and even the cameo Matthew and Kelly made in Taylor Swift’s new song. Amidst all this, one question hit particularly close to home: “How are YOU doing this year with football season?!”
“Wow, I’m not sure anyone has ever asked me this.. But it’s a lot,” Kelly replied to the question, posting it on her IG story. “I’m stressed quite often and always thinking about what needs to be done for the next game.. Whether that be hosting or getting my girls ready to get to another stadium… and the rest of the week is filled with kids sports, homework, tests.. I’m sure the same stresses all moms feel.. I just also have a husband running for his life on Sundays 🤣”
Now, the sight of Kelly and the kids cheering for Matthew has been a common sight on game days for years. But the days leading up to those appearances – even through the sneak peek Kelly shares on her social media now and then – don’t fully capture everything that goes into preparation. From choosing game-day fits, to managing four kids alone on the journey while Stafford trains with the Los Angeles Rams, to finally showing up, it’s a full-time job.
Even during the home games, the Stafford household plays host to friends and relatives. To that end, in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Kelly has spoken about her partnership with Wayfair, and how that platform helps create a comfortable environment for everyone.
“We do host a lot during the football season,” Kelly told PEOPLE. “We want them to feel like this is their second home because a lot of it is our extended family, and being far away from them is tough. I want them to feel comfortable, and that all starts with good beds, good towels and everything that you can get from Wayfair.”
But the help from a brand with expertise in furniture only solves one aspect of the stress Kelly faces. Add her kids, and the mental taxation of planning out the visits from their friends and family is a whole another matter. And then, there’s the situation with Matthew Stafford.
Being an NFL quarterback directly translates to being terrorized by 250-pound linemen every week. Trying to escape pressure, making plays, and keeping your team in the running – while keeping the fans on the edge of their seats – is another tall order. While Kelly has been used to since their dating years at Georgia, watching a 38-year-old Matthew absorbing tackles and sacks takes a toll on you over the years, especially given Stafford’s injury history.
Across the 17 years Stafford’s played in the NFL, he’s been documented with 24 known injuries, causing him to miss around 40 games, per Draft Sharks. Keeping the games aside, just watching her husband get injured so many times takes another toll on Kelly Stafford.
Now playing in his 18th NFL season, Stafford’s the reigning MVP, meaning every defender he goes up against will be looking for the bragging rights to land a hit on him. That target on his back’s never been bigger.
“I miss home. I miss my family. 18 years away and it hasn’t gotten any easier. Anyone else move away and feel this way?” Kelly captioned while posting a carousel of photos of family on Instagram she misses due to football.
But Kelly still tries to focus on the family time they get between games, calling those moments “the most special time” in their household. That family time feels like the biggest stressbuster of them all.
“Our life has a lot of football in it. I wouldn’t say it revolves around it. Our life revolves around our children,” Kelly told PEOPLE. “To be honest, everyone sees Matthew as this professional quarterback, but my kids see him as Dad – and when he’s sitting on the couch, they just want to be cuddled up next to him.
“So right now, yes, he goes to work, he comes home, and you’ll find us right where I just told you. The girls finish their homework on their little desks that are from Wayfair, and then they come, and they sit on the couch, and they perform and they talk to him.”