The 2025 NFL Draft continues after Thursday’s opening round, where over thirty players achieved their professional aspirations. Hundreds more hopefuls await their selection in the coming days.
Kelly Stafford, wife of Super Bowl champion Matthew Stafford, offers a unique perspective shaped by her own experience supporting a player through the demanding draft process. Matthew was famously selected as the number one overall pick back in 2009.
During a recent episode of her “Morning After” podcast, Kelly addressed the question of where she was on the night Matthew was drafted by the Detroit Lions. Contrary to expectations, she revealed that she wasn’t present at the draft event held in New York City that year.
The discussion then turned to whether significant others should accompany NFL prospects during this pivotal moment. Kelly appeared to express reservations about having girlfriends present on draft night, highlighting a potential complication:
“I don’t see why guys do it because, if they do get drafted and you have all your family there, and you’re in the draft with your girlfriend… and then, all of a sudden, she’s gone. You don’t have those draft pictures without a random girl – and she’s not random when you’re taking them, but she might be random eventually. It’s a serious thing to consider.”
The Staffords married in 2015 and are now parents to four daughters.
Kelly further illustrated her point with an analogy drawn from wedding planning:
“It’s like having your brother’s girlfriend in your wedding when they’re not engaged. And then, all of a sudden… what happens?”
She recounted how the situation resolved itself favorably for her family – her brother Chad Hall ultimately married Rose – but emphasized the potential awkwardness if circumstances had unfolded differently.
Matthew Stafford spent his first twelve seasons with the Lions before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams in a significant deal that sent Jared Goff to Detroit.
While “The Morning After” podcast occasionally delves into football topics, Stafford and co-host Henry Winchester primarily focus on broader subjects like relationships and parenting.
“I’m very vulnerable throughout this podcast,” Kelly shared, “because I feel safe in this community, which is why I love it.”
Key Takeaways:
- Over 30 NFL prospects were drafted Thursday night.
- Kelly Stafford advised against having girlfriends present at the draft.
- Matthew Stafford was selected as the #1 overall pick in 2009.
