Kelly Stafford announced she needs more time away from her podcast to focus on the people who matter most in her life. The wife of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford initially stepped back in early October for mental health reasons, but now she has extended that break with a different purpose in mind.
Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) celebrates with his wife Kelly Stafford after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) celebrates with his wife Kelly Stafford after defeating the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Her latest announcement reveals a shift from personal wellness to family priorities as her husband navigates one of his most demanding professional seasons.
Kelly Stafford Extends Podcast Break to Support Matthew Stafford During Remarkable NFL Season
In a three-slide Instagram post from The Morning After podcast account on November 27, Kelly wrote, “I feel this pull to get back to my roots, and to do that, I have to pour into the people I love most”. The message marked a change from her original reason for stepping away nearly two months earlier.
“I’ve got a husband in the middle of one hell of a season, and I want to be fully locked in with him. I want to be present for my girls. I want to give my whole heart to the people who have always given theirs to me,” Kelly explained in her post.
The decision comes as Matthew Stafford, 37, delivers one of the finest seasons of his career. Many football commentators are citing him as the MVP player of the year, and the Los Angeles Rams currently sit atop the NFC with a 9-2 record. The veteran quarterback leads the league with 27 touchdown passes while throwing just two interceptions through ten games.
Kelly first announced her break on October 2, telling listeners, “I have four daughters and a husband, and this podcast is another one of my babies, and I love it a lot, but not as much as them. It has been taking more time than I’ve wanted it to”. At that time, she cited mental health concerns and the need to reassess the podcast’s direction.
Kelly acknowledged her journey with The Morning After, writing that it began four years ago with “a crappy mic, zero editing,” and that she had no clue what she was doing back when she started the podcast. “All I wanted was for other moms to feel seen, because I was so damn tired of social media pretending everything was perfect,” she wrote.
The podcast launched in 2021 and quickly built a dedicated community around discussions of motherhood, marriage struggles, and personal challenges. Kelly shares four daughters with Matthew, including twins Sawyer and Chandler, 8, Hunter, 7, and Tyler, 5.
Kelly reassured her audience that the extended break does not signal the end, writing, “This isn’t a goodbye, it’s a ‘see y’all later.’ Thank you for letting me grow, change, fall apart, rebuild, and evolve right alongside you.” The podcast’s Instagram account has not posted new original content in over 52 days, although archived episodes continue to appear on YouTube.