Why Kelly Stafford is against top prospects bringing ‘random’ dates to NFL draft

The start of the 2025 NFL Draft on Thursday had Kelly Stafford reflecting on how some top prospects celebrate the life-altering night.

When asked Thursday by her “Morning After” podcast co-host Hank Winchester if she was in New York when husband Matthew Stafford was drafted first overall by the Lions in 2009, Kelly said no and offered her honest take about the inclusion of significant others on draft night.

“I don’t see why guys do it because, if they do get drafted, and you have all your family and you’re in the draft, and you have your girlfriend and the girlfriend’s in the draft pics, and then all of the sudden, the girlfriend’s gone. You don’t have draft pictures without a random girl, and I know she’s not random when you’re taking it, but she might be random eventually. Do you know what I mean? It’s a serious thing to consider,” Kelly said on the latest episode of their show.

The mother of four, who dated Stafford, 37, while they were at Georgia before tying the knot in 2015, likened the situation to bridal parties and whether the partner of a sibling should be included if they’re not engaged.

“It’s like having your brother’s girlfriend in your wedding when they’re not engaged. And then all of the sudden, do you know what I mean? You have all these photos with your family and the brother’s girlfriend — and not mine, because mine [brother Chad Hall] got married to [sister-in-law] Rose, so we were good. Like, what happens if Rose didn’t marry Chad, and she’s in all my wedding photos,” Kelly said.

When Winchester circled back to Kelly, he wanted to clarify that there were no hurt feelings over her not being by Stafford’s side at the draft in the event their conversation sparked a fiery headline from yours truly.

“I really didn’t understand the situation when he was going through it, but then as I get older and I have daughters, I kind of understand,” she said.

Stafford spent the first 12 years of his career in Detroit before he was traded to Los Angeles in a blockbuster quarterback swap in January 2021 that sent Jared Goff to the Lions.

The trade worked out well for both organizations, with Stafford winning his first Super Bowl in his first season with the Rams. The Lions, meanwhile, have transformed into an NFC powerhouse with the QB-coach tandem of Goff and Dan Campbell.

Although Stafford was the subject of trade rumors earlier this offseason, he and the Rams re-upped their union and will run it back for a fifth season.