The Stafford family has been known as a tight-knit group since Matthew was drafted as the top overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.
Since then, false rumors of cancer scares, a trade from the place they called home, and a Super Bowl ring have been key storylines; now, some of the uglier stories are coming out as Matthew prepares for his 16th NFL season.
This one, though, came directly from Matthew’s wife, Kelly.
Kelly Stafford Dated Matthew Stafford’s Backup
In a surprise interview with “Off The Vine,” Kelly explained how her relationship with Matthew began and how unique it was as opposed to other relationships.
“I dated the backup to piss him [Matthew] off, which worked … He [the backup QB] was the bad boy, too. Like, Matthew’s so sweet and a southern gentleman and all that stuff,” Kelly explained. “The backup was the complete opposite, and it upset him.”
Part of Kelly’s mindset was that, according to her, Matthew was unwilling to commit to a long-term relationship while she was.
As it turns out, her plan worked, with Matthew finally ending up with her.
“So, they lived in the same dorm, because athletes lived in the same dorm, and he would see my car there,” Kelly said. “At one point he waited and followed me out and got in my car and wouldn’t get out. … He was like, ‘He’s not right for you,’ and I was like, ‘You can’t tell me that.’”
NEW: NFL star quarterback Matthew Stafford’s wife says she started dating his backup in college to make him jealous.
Weird flex but ok.
“I dated the backup to piss him off, which worked… He was the bad boy too. Like Matthew's so sweet and southern gentleman and all that… pic.twitter.com/a95vK0HTjC
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 20, 2024
Matthew has yet to speak publicly about Kelly’s comments, but social media has run rampant since the interview with criticism of her approach.
Regardless of social media’s thoughts, Kelly’s story adds a new wrinkle to her relationship with the All-Pro quarterback.
Who Is Kelly Stafford?
Kelly and her husband have been connected since their time in college. She is the sister of former NFL wide receiver and current wide receivers coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars Chad Hall.
In 2019, Kelly announced that she had a brain tumor that was diagnosed as acoustic neuroma and went through a 12-hour surgery in April of that year. Kelly’s fight caught fire through NFL circles as Matthew took time away from the Detroit Lions’ facility to care for her.
MORE: Who Is Kelly Stafford? Get To Know Matthew Stafford’s Wife
Just recently, Kelly shared she thought the cancer had returned but shot down rumors that was the case.
“Real quick, we don’t think it’s anything. So, it’s not a big deal, but it scared the f**k out of me,” Kelly said on her show.
Relationship Timeline for the Staffords
Kelly and Matthew met in college as Matthew was a top quarterback prospect for the Georgia Bulldogs and Kelly was a cheerleader.
The couple have four daughters and have been married since 2015 when Matthew was the face of the Lions’ franchise. The two have been madly in love together since they met back in college.
“I believe God placed us at the university of Georgia. You could have gone anywhere to school and yet you picked there… and it was a reach for me to get in, but by some miracle, I did. He wanted us to meet and see where it took us,” Kelly wrote in a social media post in April of 2018. “Now look.. over 10 years later and today, 3 years of marriage… and still, each day, you remind me why you are so easy to love. Thank you for picking me to do life with.”
While the conversation of the Stafford family has certainly taken a turn of sorts due to Kelly’s recent comments, it appears to be just part of the unique story that the family has had together.