Matthew Stafford’s Wife Kelly Reveals How Move to L.A. From Detroit Saved Their Marriage: ‘I Was Unhappy’

Los Angeles Rams star Matthew Stafford's wife, Kelly Stafford, has shed some light on the personal struggles she faced during the earliest years of their relationship—as she desperately tried to strike a balance between supporting his budding NFL career and pursuing her own life goals.

Kelly, 36, met Matthew, 38, when they were both students at the University of Georgia, just a few months before the football pro was selected by the Detroit Lions as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft, and she ultimately joined him in the Michigan city after graduating from college.

In a new interview with "The Cutting Edge" podcast, Kelly reflected on the years that she spent with her then-boyfriend in Detroit.

While she was content in her relationship with Matthew, she found it hard to figure out who she was outside of his growing sports career, she shared.

"Looking back at Detroit, I would say I was happy because I loved him, but I was also unhappy because I didn't really know where I fit in or who I was," Kelly explained in the interview, which aired just days before she and her spouse attended Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's high-profile wedding in New York City.

The couple, who wed in 2015, ended up relocating to Los Angeles in 2021 after Matthew was traded to the Rams by the Lions—a move that his wife said changed her life in more ways than one.

“The move to L.A. really helped me realize I can be what I want to be, too. But I do think you lose yourself in what everyone else expects you to be," she said.

Kelly said that as Matthew's football career continued to soar, she gradually found herself defined by his success rather than her own.

She explained that she was always known for her connection to Matthew, admitting that she lost sight of her own identity in the process.

“You end up being this partner, and your image is known as, you know, I was Matthew Stafford’s girlfriend and then I was Matthew Stafford’s fiancée, Matthew Stafford’s wife. You tend to lose who you are, or I did," she said.

Kelly added that she eventually reminded herself to stay true to her own values and continue pursuing personal goals instead of focusing solely on her husband's career.

“I would remind myself to just stay true to the values I have. Reminder that I can chase after my own goals, too. It doesn’t just have to be about his," she noted.

That turning point came after Matthew was traded to the Los Angeles Rams ahead of the 2021 season.

Kelly said the move west gave her the confidence to launch her own podcasting career and embrace opportunities that helped her feel fulfilled outside of being an NFL spouse.

“I didn’t really come to it until I moved to L.A. So, 12 [years] into it," she said about her podcasting gig.

The couple first met in the early 2000s while attending the University of Georgia, where Matthew played football and Kelly was a cheerleader. They have since welcomed four daughters together: twins Sawyer and Chandler, 9, Hunter, 8, and Tyler, 6.

Since moving to Los Angeles, the couple have bought and sold multiple homes—most recently offloading a trio of dwellings all within a matter of days.

The first two properties in the stacked sale were part of an expansive compound that the 2025 NFL MVP and his wife purchased from rapper Drake for a total of $11 million in 2022. The third is a sprawling red-brick mansion that the duo picked up for $10.5 million that same year.

Matthew and Kelly spent close to two years trying to offload the properties from Drake's so-called YOLO (you only live once) estate, putting both dwellings on the market for the first time in fall 2024.

In September of that year, the smaller of the two homes, which spans nearly 2,500 square feet and sits on just over 2 acres, was listed for $6.8 million—$800,000 more than what the Staffords had paid for it. One month later, the other property, which the couple had purchased for $5 million, was also put on the market with an asking price of $5.7 million.

After many months and multiple price changes, the two abodes were sold on June 3 to the same buyer, records show. The buyer purchased them for a total of $11.6 million through an LLC, meaning the Staffords earned a profit of just $600,000 on the sale.

However, in the sale of their third abode, which closed on June 4, the couple took a fairly hefty loss of nearly $1 million. They sold it for $9.7 million to a separate LLC, having bought it four years ago for $10.5 million.

The sprawling abode does not appear to have been listed on the multiple listing service, suggesting that the couple sold it in an off-market transaction.

Perched on just over 1.5 acres of land, the enormous 7,500-square-foot abode was described in a previous listing as a "stunning Hidden Hills manor" that featured a private vineyard, "colorful gardens," and a pool and spa.

Offering eight bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, the dwelling also boasts an "array of spacious sunlit public living rooms," the listing description stated.

When the Staffords closed on the home in March 2022, it was reported that they were planning to use the enormous property as their primary residence. However, just over one year later, they upped their real estate game when they splashed out $28.2 million on an adjacent spec mansion that was being built on a piece of land previously owned by Jennifer Lopez.

The Staffords were no doubt thrilled to have wrapped up their real estate dealings in time for the summer, which they kicked off in New York City by attending Swift and Kelce's wedding celebration at Madison Square Garden.

While phones were reportedly banned inside the event itself, Kelly took to Instagram to memorialize the occasion, sharing an image of herself and her husband before they headed out for the evening, along with a heartfelt message about their marriage.

“A night that reminded us all just how lucky we are to have found our person,” she captioned the Instagram post.

Swift and Kelce said "I do" on July 3 at Madison Square Garden.

A statement later revealed that their ceremony was officiated by Adam Sandler. It was also revealed that the couple both sported Christian Dior Haute Couture, Christian Louboutin shoes, and Cartier jewelry—and noted that they did not have bridesmaids or groomsmen, instead relying on their siblings to be by their side during the ceremony.

“Taylor and Travis did not have bridesmaids or groomsmen. Austin Swift served as Taylor’s Man of Honor Jason Kelce was Travis’ Best Man," the statement read.