Why Matthew Stafford & Kelly Stafford Often Don’t Wear Wedding Rings

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Kelly Staffordis throwing the flag on her husband Matthew Stafford.

After ten years of marriage, the host of the *Morning After* podcast asked Los Angeles Rams quarterback why he doesn’t wear his wedding ring during games, especially since many other NFL players now wear rubber rings for safety while playing.

On her podcast on September 18th, Kelly playfully asked Matthew, “Why haven’t you?” She quickly followed up, laughing and saying she was just teasing him and that she understood he wasn’t obligated to answer.

The 36-year-old also joked that she’s hardly one to judge, as her four daughters-8-year-old twins Sawyer and Chandler, 7-year-old Hunter, and 5-year-old Tyler-are a good enough reason for her to sometimes leave her wedding ring at home, too.

Kelly explained, “I sometimes leave my ring upstairs. With kids, it’s hard to keep track of all our belongings.”

Matthew, 37, frequently removes his wedding ring when playing football, so his wife is pleasantly surprised he hasn’t lost it yet.

“I will give you credit,” she told him, “you’ve only lost that ring once.”

Matthew quickly pointed out that he hadn’t lost the ring, just accidentally put it in a jewelry bag inside her purse.

Still, Kelly is grateful for their life together. 

She recently shared on the *Sunday Sports Club* podcast that she feels incredibly lucky to have a supportive husband. She also acknowledged being fortunate financially, allowing her to enjoy certain comforts and experiences.

Despite their comforts, though, Kelly noted the couple’s approach to parenting.

She explained that she’s determined not to raise spoiled children, saying, ‘I won’t allow that.’ She added that neither she nor her husband experienced this kind of upbringing, so they’re learning how to parent as they go along.

Keep reading to find out more about Kelly and Matthew’s relationship, and how they’ve dealt with gossip over the years.

In November 2024, Kelly Stafford shared that she felt overwhelmed and upset when she found out on Instagram that her husband, Matthew Stafford, was being traded from the Los Angeles Rams to the Minnesota Vikings.

Kelly’s immediate reaction was to text her husband, Matt, and ask what was going on, as she explained on her podcast, *The Morning After With Kelly & Hank*. But she quickly realized that wasn’t a good idea. She said you definitely shouldn’t text your husband, ‘Hey, have you heard you’re being traded?’

She considered the message unsuitable unless he mentioned it first, assuming the athlete was already aware of the circulating rumors.

After moving to Los Angeles in 2021 following 12 years in Detroit, the family would be heartbroken if they had to move again, Kelly explained. She emphasized that keeping the family together is her priority, saying it wouldn’t be right to keep Matt away from his daughters or the daughters from their father. She added that she couldn’t imagine life without him.

Kelly mentioned in a February 2025 interview that trade rumors can be very upsetting. She also admitted it was frustrating dealing with constant questions about her husband’s potential retirement, and suggested the Rams organization could have handled the speculation better.

She explained that she needed to feel appreciated and respected. She felt she was being treated unfairly, like she had to constantly please others, and wanted the same consideration that others receive. While she initially tried to ignore it, the situation had been bothering her.

Matt, who rarely complains, shared on his podcast New Heights in March 2025 that trade rumors had been difficult for his family, as they created uncertainty about the future.

Kelly admitted she might have overstepped when she mentioned on her podcast in August 2023 that many of Matthew’s teammates grew up with a strong reliance on phones and social media.

Cue the headlines about her saying that Matt wasn’t connecting with his fellow Rams.

About a week later, Matthew addressed a rumor, telling ESPN he believes people understand his perspective. He explained they see his consistent work ethic and positive interactions within the team, so they weren’t overly concerned with the rumor itself.

Referring to the January 2025 uproar surrounding the *Him & Her* podcast, Kelly stated that the situation was deliberately misrepresented, a common tactic, but that most people only paid attention to the sensationalized headlines.

Kelly isn’t the first woman connected to an athlete to be unfairly blamed for any issues – people often assume she’s the one causing trouble.

I have to say, I was really worried when the latest gossip about their dad – and this time it dragged their mom into it too – somehow reached their daughters. It clearly upset them, and honestly, it was just a messy situation all around.

Kelly recounted how children at school were bullying her daughters, telling them they might have to move because of their mother. They said she was ‘too loud’ and made things difficult. Kelly was shocked when her daughters came home and asked if they needed to move because of her, reacting with disbelief and emphasizing that the issue wasn’t related to the Rams organization.

After undergoing brain tumor removal surgery in 2019, Kelly is very careful about her health. That’s why she was upset by rumors suggesting she had cancer, especially after she simply mentioned experiencing stomach pain.

In July 2023, Kelly posted on Instagram to address rumors, stating clearly, “I DO NOT HAVE CANCER.” She expressed frustration that journalists weren’t verifying information, adding that she usually wouldn’t be concerned with false reports, but this time it bothered her.

She emphasized that this is harmful because it disrespects those battling this terrible illness, people who are desperately fighting for their lives and to spend time with their loved ones, facing a constant struggle every single day.

Kelly revealed in January 2025 that her twins had to go to the hospital while the family was in Arizona for a playoff game, and she later explained what actually happened.

It started like the flu, but quickly became something worse,” Kelly explained to TopMob News a few weeks after her daughters recovered. “They developed additional infections that I didn’t know about at the time.” She also admitted to feeling guilty as a mother during the ordeal.

So, she advised, “If your kid has the flu, just make sure you stay on top of it.” 

Kelly was relieved to know her husband was alive and simply recovering from a back injury, which is why he wasn’t at Rams practice. Because of this, she enjoyed playfully sharing the story about his absence in August 2025.

She noticed something was off about him, and shared a wild theory she found on Barstool Sports to her Instagram Story. The headline claimed that Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had secretly died a few weeks ago and been replaced by a clone.

Kelly shared on the *Him & Her* podcast that she’s very open and honest about her life, and she’s comfortable with that. However, she worries her daughters might not want her personal stories following them as they get older. To protect their privacy, she’s stopped mentioning names on the podcast. It’s difficult, though, because parenting often involves sharing the highs and lows of each day with your kids, and that’s a big part of what she talks about. She’s finding it hard to completely separate her children’s experiences from her podcast content.

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2025-09-18 23:47