Matthew Stafford is putting family first after the Rams lost to the Seahawks in the playoffs
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Matthew Stafford may be this year’s league MVP when all is said and done, but the Los Angeles Rams quarterback’s final results were not what he or the team expected Sunday night.
The Seattle Seahawks were the NFC champions after defeating the Rams, and Stafford and his teammates returned to Los Angeles late on what must have been a miserable flight.
But despite what happened in Seattle, Stafford’s first priority was his family, as his wife, Kelly Stafford, revealed on social media.
No one would blame Stafford for thinking about the loss early Monday morning, but his wife revealed that his fatherly duties were the first thing on his mind when he got home.
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Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and his daughters on the sidelines before facing the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
“After leaving everything in that field and it happened briefly, at 230 in the morning, this was Matthew,” Kelly quoted the Instagram Story video of her home camera showing her husband saying goodbye to his four daughters – twins Sawyer and Chandler, Hunter and Tyler.
Making sure your kids are tucked in and asleep is one of the best feelings as a parent, even when things don’t go well during the day.
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Stafford, 37, left everything on that Lumen Field stand Sunday night, but it wasn’t enough in the end.
The key play came on fourth-and-4 near the Seahawks’ goal line, where Stafford had a chance to take the lead with less than five minutes to play in the NFC Championship Game.
But, as he dropped back and scanned the end zone, he tried to pass to tight end Terrence Ferguson, and it didn’t end when Devon Witherspoon provided solid coverage for Seattle’s defense.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford stands with his family before the NFC Wild Card game between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday January 14, 2023 at Ford Field in Detroit, MI. (Steven King/Icon Sportswire)
It was an important game, as Sam Darnold and the Seahawks offense had their chance: they picked up a few first downs and iced the game. They killed every 25 seconds with a methodical drive, and Stafford tried a miracle drive deep in his own zone, but failed in the end.
As the Seahawks celebrated, the Rams, aiming for their first Super Bowl appearance since Stafford helped them to victory in the 2021 season, left the field disappointed.
Stafford’s final stat line of the season read 22-of-35 for 374 yards with three touchdowns. He was seen with blood on his left hand, which he did not throw during the game.
As mentioned, Stafford is one of the MVP finalists this season after leading the league in passing touchdowns (46) and passing yards (4,707) as he went 12-5 in his 17th NFL season.
The question will come this offseason as to whether Stafford wishes to make Year 18 a reality with the Rams. He dodged a question in Seattle about his future in 2026, but appeared focused on getting home and spending time with his family.
Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams stands on the field before the NFL’s NFC Championship game against the Seattle Seahawks, at Lumen Field on Jan. 25, 2026 in Seattle. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
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In fact, Stafford even thanked his wife and daughters for their support throughout the season with delicious donuts and a cute note, which his wife shared on social media.
“Thank you for being such rockstars to me all season!” Stafford’s note was read. “You’ve been the inspiration for Dad’s amazing year! We [love] you!!”
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