Inside NFL Player Matthew Stafford & Wife Kelly Stafford's Love Story

Los Angeles Rams' quarterback Matthew Stafford and wife Kelly Stafford, n​​ée Hall, share a love story that dates back to Kelly and Matthew Stafford's college days at the University of Georgia. From on-again-off-again dating in college to building a family together, you can see how sweet this NFL player's relationships with his wife and four daughters are through Kelly's Instagram account, which is flooded with adorable photos of their family.

From getting drafted to the Detroit Lions back in 2009 to his Super Bowl LVI victory, Kelly, and now his four girls, have been by his side through it all. In a report from People, Matthew said, "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them." So who is Kelly Stafford? Here's what we know about her journey so far, her relationship with Matthew Stafford and their life together with their four daughters.

• Who is Matthew Stafford's wife? He's married to Kelly Hall (now, Kelly Stafford).
• Matthew Stafford met his wife at the University of Georgia.
• Kelly and Matthew Stafford share four daughters together: Sawyer, Chandler, Hunter and Tyler.
• Is Matthew Stafford injured? He was, but is back on the field and feeling better after hurting his thumb in Week 8.

Who is Matthew Stafford's Wife, Kelly Stafford?

Photo: kbstafford89 / Instagram

Matthew and Kelly started seeing each other at the University of Georgia, where he played football and she was a cheerleader. According to an interview with KFC Radio, they weren't always as solid as they are now. Kelly explained that back in college, they "went back and forth there for a little bit with the love-hate."

Apparently Matthew wasn't interested in being in a relationship, so Kelly purposely dated Matthew's teammate to get his attention. "I dated the backup to piss him off—like that was the type of situation we were in." Laughing, she added, "In the end, we ended up together, and we had to go through all of it, so the back up had to happen. I mean, it got his attention."

FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT

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While they may have had a bit of a messy start (college relationships are challenging), they're now happily married with four beautiful daughters. In her free time, Kelly plays tennis and currently co-hosts a podcast called The Morning After with Hank Winchester, an investigative reporter based out of Detroit. She's also a registered nurse (Kelly posted her exam results on her Instagram account back in 2014).

Most noteworthy is her strength: In April 2019, Kelly overcame a brain tumor, which was successfully removed during a 12-hour surgery. She's also the sister of former NFL player and current Jacksonville Jaguars wide receivers coach, Chad Hall.

Matthew Stafford and Kelly Hall's Relationship Timeline

2006: Matthew Stafford and Kelly Hall First Meet

Photo: kbstafford89 / Instagram

Matthew and Kelly met at the University of Georgia, where Matthew became the first true-freshman quarterback to start for the Georgia Bulldogs since 1998. He actually graduated high school ahead of time and enrolled in college in January 2006.

April 2009: Matthew Stafford Signs With the Detroit Lions

In April 2009, Matthew decided to leave college early to join the Detroit Lions. He signed a six-year contract that included a guaranteed $41.7 million. He was the first overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft.

April 2015: The Couple Get Married

Photo: kbstafford89 / Instagram

According to a report from Paper City, the couple tied the knot in Atlanta over Easter weekend. They had a giant dance party and a Nike shoe bar, thanks to Matthew's sponsorship at the time. Kelly posted a video of the wedding to her podcast's IG account, where you can get a real feel for the upbeat vibe of the occasion.

March 2017: Matthew and Kelly Stafford Welcome Twins

Photo: kbstafford89 / Instagram

In March 2017, Kelly gave birth to identical twin daughters, Sawyer and Chandler.

August 2018: The Staffords Welcome Their Third Child

Photo: kbstafford89 / Instagram

The couple's family of three becomes a family of four with the birth of their third daughter, Hunter.

April 2019: Kelly Stafford Is Diagnosed With a Tumor

Photo: kbstafford89 / Getty Images

On April 3, 2019, Kelly took to Instagram to share some difficult news. After bouts of unusual dizziness and vertigo, she got an MRI done, which revealed a brain tumor. "I had a tumor sitting on some of my cranial nerves. The medical term they used was an acoustic neuroma or vestibular schwannoma.. All I heard was brain tumor & that they had to do surgery to take it out.. so that is what we are going to do & we believe we found the best doctor to do it," she wrote in her post.

A couple of weeks later on April 21, 2023, she returned to Instagram with good news. Despite some complications, the surgery was a success: "When they opened me up, I had an abnormal vein.. maybe abnormal for other neurosurgeons, but not the one We chose. He had seen it before and written a paper on it. That's truly God's work. The prayers for my family, I'm beyond thankful for. A six hour surgery went to 12 hours and although they were anxious and scared, your prayers got them through. Thank you."

June 2020: Kelly Stafford Gives Birth to Fourth Daughter

Photo: kbstafford89 / Getty Images

In June 2020, the Staffords become a family of six when they welcome their fourth daughter, Tyler.

March 2021: Matthew Stafford Is Traded to the Los Angeles Rams

After 12 years with the Detroit Lions, Matthew got traded to the Los Angeles Rams for Jared Goff. In an interview with KFC Radio, Kelly said, "The 12 years in Detroit is what made Matthew the player he is today," explaining how facing many losses with the Lions taught him to be resilient.

But for Matthew, it was all about family. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them," Matthew said to People. "I would never have made the decision to go in and ask to be traded [somewhere] unless I had full support from my family and understanding that things were going to change, things were going to be different both professionally and personally."

September 2021: Kelly Stafford Launches Her Podcast

In September 2021, Kelly Stafford launched a podcast with her close family friend, Hank Winchester, a reporter based in Detroit. Together they discuss life, raising kids and occasionally, Matthew's career.

In an episode from August 2023, Kelly discussed that her husband was having issues connecting with his younger teammates, which sparked some controversy. "It's kind of crazy, so Matthew's been in the league for a long time," Kelly said. "He's like, 'The difference in the locker room has changed so significantly,' and they have a lot of rookies on their team this year, they're very young."

"But, he's like, 'I feel like I can't connect.' Because in the old days, you'd come out of practice, you'd shower, people would be playing cards, people would be interacting. Who knows what they're doing but they're doing something together, they're playing ping pong, they have a tournament going on, they're at least talking. He said now, they get done with practice, get done meetings during training camp, and they go straight to their phones, like no one looks up from their phones."

"They say 'sir' to him and sh–. He's like, 'No, we're on the same level here, we're both playing in this league, let me get to know you,'" Kelly continued. "But he said it's so different and it's so hard to get to know these guys. He had a book printed out … of all the guys' faces and their names. He's like, 'I need to know their names.'"

She addressed these comments later during an interview with Local 4 Detroit: "I spoke on a topic that I think, it's relatable, to the fact that it's hard to relate to someone who is ten years younger than you. And I do think that's entirely true. But I'm not in an NFL locker room, I'm not spending every day with these teammates."

"That was probably the worst thing I've done when it comes to him [Matthew]," she added. "Probably not the best if your wife's name is in the media if it's talking about sports. I put my foot in my mouth pretty good last week."

February 2022: The Rams Win the Super Bowl

Photo: kbstafford89 / Getty Images

After 12 years of many losses with the Detroit Lions, Matthew was finally able to call himself a Super Bowl Champion in February 2022. He brought the Los Angeles Rams to victory by winning a close game against the Cincinnati Bengals in his first season with his new team.

December 2023: Matthew Stafford Rises Up the QB Rankings

Despite missing Week 8 due to a thumb injury, Matthew made it to number five in Week 15's quarterback rankings.

Kelly and Matthew Stafford's Wedding

Photo: kbstafford89 / Instagram

In 2016, Paper City Magazine revealed details of Kelly and Matthew Stafford's wedding. Apparently, the couple had a cellphone check-in station for guests to leave their devices upon arrival, in hopes of creating a more in-the-moment occasion.

Because Matthew was a Nike-sponsored athlete at the time, they featured a Nike shoe bar where guests received a pair to wear on the dance floor. Guests also received custom hats to wear during the later portion of the celebration.

Photo: kbstafford89 / Instagram

Kelly wore a dress by Naeem Khan with Jimmy Choo pumps, while Matthew wore a tuxedo by Cicchini Custom Clothiers. You can see a video of the wedding on Instagram, which Kelly posted along with a heartfelt caption that says: "A lot of fun and yes the details were amazing… but all I see when I watch this is the man I love and how lucky I am to have a partner who is not only an incredible husband, but also a patient, loving father. I take him for granted more than I care to admit, but I believe that's marriage..not the taking your partner for granted part, but realizing when you do and working to change it. Always a work in progress… A marriage is when two people commit to love and serve one another for all the days of their lives ❤️."

In an Instagram photo from Kelly's profile, you can see the couple in New Zealand, where they spent their honeymoon.