While the Detroit Lions enjoy 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, moving one step closer to the Super Bowl.
Unfortunately, Stafford has received some personal bad news ahead of the game.
Kelly Stafford Shares Hospital Photo with Matthew Stafford
Kelly Stafford, Matthew’s wife, hosts a podcast where she shares insights about their life, from football to family. On the Tuesday, January 7, episode of her podcast, The Morning After with Kelly Stafford and Hank, Kelly revealed she was battling the flu. She mentioned she even offered to leave home with their children to keep Matthew from falling ill.
However, things seem to have taken a turn for the worse. Kelly later posted a photo on her Instagram stories showing Matthew and their children—Sawyer, Chandler, Hunter, and Tyler—at the hospital.
“Last night was long,” Kelly wrote in her story, alongside a picture of two of their kids in a hospital bed. “Back in beds and sleeping, everyone except Hunter. Feels like she drank a Celsius.”
In a brighter moment, Kelly also shared a photo of Matthew with the kids, captioned, “Before that tho, they were all smiles getting to go with daddy on his work trip.”
Dealing with sick children in the hospital can be overwhelming, and well wishes are in order for the Stafford family as they navigate this challenging time.
Matthew Stafford Hopes Rams-Vikings Game Provides ‘Great Escape’ Amid California Wildfires
Matthew’s work trip, of course, involves heading to Arizona to face the Vikings. Due to the wildfires raging in Southern California, the game was moved from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The relocation strips the Rams of their home field advantage for the playoff game.
Despite this setback, the wildfires have put things into perspective. Rams head coach Sean McVay expressed concern for those affected during a press conference on Thursday, January 9.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody that’s been affected by these fires,” McVay said.
Matthew echoed the sentiment, hoping the game serves as a reprieve for those impacted by the devastation.
“We play for the people in this community, the people that support us,” Stafford said. “And this week will be another example of that.”
Stafford, who spent 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, was traded to the Rams in 2021. The trade brought Jared Goff and multiple draft picks to Detroit, marking a new chapter for both teams.
