DETROIT – Kelly Stafford said she and her family will not be returning to Detroit for the Lions’ season-opening rematch with Matthew Stafford and the Rams.
Last season, the Staffords returned to Ford Field for the first time since the trade that sent Matthew Stafford to the Rams in 2021.
It was a playoff game -- the first in Ford Field history, in fact -- so emotions ran high. Fans chanted Jared Goff’s name and booed Stafford. Meanwhile, Kelly Stafford claimed that Detroit fans also booed her young children.
In his postgame comments, Matthew Stafford specified that he was happy for the Lions players, seemingly excluding the city and the fans. It was clear the atmosphere rubbed him the wrong way, at least in the immediate aftermath of defeat.
The Staffords have since made it clear that they have no ill will toward the Lions or their fans. But it seems notable that Kelly Stafford won’t attend the first game of the season, on Sunday Night Football, in the place where her family used to live.
During an episode of the “The Morning After” podcast, which she hosts along with Local 4′s Hank Winchester, Kelly Stafford confirmed she’ll watch the game in Los Angeles with her children.
It’s possible there are still some hurt feelings from January, or maybe she just doesn’t want to deal with the drama of another return. Either way, it seems there will be one less off-the-field storyline to watch during the Lions season opener.
