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Matthew Stafford might become this year’s league MVP when all is said and done, but the end results for the Los Angeles Rams quarterback wasn’t what he or the team hoped for on Sunday night.
The Seattle Seahawks were NFC Champions after defeating the Rams, and Stafford and his teammates went back to Los Angeles late on what was likely a somber flight.
But despite what occurred in Seattle, Stafford’s first priority was his family, as his wife, Kelly Stafford, revealed on social media.
No one would blame Stafford if he was still thinking about the loss in the early hours of Monday morning, but his wife showed that his fatherly duties were the first thing he attended to when he got home.
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Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford with his daughters on the sidelines before taking on the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium on Jan. 4, 2026. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
“After leaving everything on that field and coming up short, at 230 am, this was Matthew,” Kelly captioned an Instagram Story video of her in-home camera showing her husband saying goodnight to each of his four daughters — twins Sawyer and Chandler, Hunter and Tyler.
Making sure your kids are tucked in and sleeping is one of the best feelings as a parent, even when things didn’t go right during the day.
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Stafford, 37, did leave everything out on that Lumen Field turf on Sunday night, but it wasn’t enough in the end.
A crucial play came on fourth-and-4 near the Seahawks’ goal line, where Stafford had the opportunity to take the lead with just under five minutes to play in the NFC Championship Game.
But, as he dropped back and surveyed the end zone, he tried threading a pass to rookie tight end Terrence Ferguson, and it went incomplete with Devon Witherspoon providing tight coverage for Seattle’s defense.
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford poses with his family prior to the NFC Wild Card game between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams game on Sunday Jan. 14, 2023 at Ford Field in Detroit, MI. (Steven King/Icon Sportswire)
It was a pivotal play, as Sam Darnold and the Seahawks’ offense had their own opportunity: pick up a few first downs and ice the game. They killed all but 25 seconds with a methodic drive, and Stafford tried for a miracle drive deep in his own territory, but fell short in the end.
As the Seahawks celebrated, the Rams, aiming for their first Super Bowl appearance since Stafford helped them win during 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 even spotted bloodied on his left, non-throwing hand during the game.
As mentioned, Stafford is one of the MVP finalists for 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 likely come about this offseason whether Stafford wishes to make Year 18 real with the Rams. He avoided a question in Seattle about his 2026 future, but he seemed focused on getting home and spending time with his family.
Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams stands on the field prior to the NFC Championship NFL football 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 all season with some gourmet donuts and a nice note, which his wife also shared on social media.
“Thank you for being such rockstars for me all season long!” Stafford’s note read. “Y’all were the inspiration for daddy’s incredible year! We [love] you!!”
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