Matthew Stafford and his Los Angeles Rams have officially clinched a playoff spot after starting 1-4. The quarterback has fought through adversity this season, and the magnitude of his journey was captured perfectly by the Super Bowl champion’s wife, Kelly, in a heartfelt note on Instagram. She accompanied it with a carousel of pictures, praising Matthew for the campaign which he and the team managed to turn around.
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Kelly talked about how Stafford never gave up when most people thought the season was over for the Rams.
“When you start at 1-4, most would think it’s over and find it hard to keep going. But not you… You’re different… You’re built tough. The way you never give up… whether it be during a drive, during a game, or during a season. What an incredible example you set for our girls and all the kids watching you play this game,” wrote Kelly.
She also left a “P.S.” at the end of the post where she bragged about her husband’s abilities when it comes to throwing the football.
“Remember when everyone hated on your ‘sidearm’ and all your ‘arm angles’… turns out you were just way ahead of the time. Congrats to the comeback kid. The OG of arm angles and no-lookers.”
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When Matthew was being scouted out of Georgia, many had downgraded his lack of a consistent arm slot while throwing the ball. It didn’t affect his draft stock, as he was still selected #1 overall. However, it was noted as a weakness in his draft profile.
Fast forward to today, Stafford is throwing out of multiple arm slots, which is now considered a bonus ability for QBs to have. Especially if they can throw on the run or thread the needle between defenders like Matthew does. He has also found a nice pairing with head coach Sean McVay who asks him to make a lot of off-platform, awkward throws on the run.
The Instagram post was a sweet message from wife to husband. Kelly admired Matthew’s approach towards his job. When the going gets tough, most athletes just “mail it in” and give up, thinking there’s always next season. But that was not the case with Stafford this year.
There were also injuries to key players on the Rams roster including Puka Nacua and several starting offensive linemen to deal with. Stafford navigated the storm and led the Rams to a 10-6 record. This was powered by a 9-2 stretch since their disastrous start to the season.
It’s a miraculous turnaround for a team that is used to excellence year in and year out. They have once again clinched the NFC West and will be the only team in the division to reach the playoffs. In early November, if someone had mentioned this scenario, many would’ve brushed it aside as fantasy.
The San Francisco 49ers, who were coming off a Super Bowl appearance, were favored to win the division. However, a slew of injuries to key players kept them from reaching their full potential. So, the Rams and Stafford took advantage and claimed their first NFC West crown since 2021. That’s the year they won the Super Bowl.
Coming back to the Instagram post from Kelly, it was also a good reminder to NFL fans. Some may have forgotten how the Rams started the season. Now, they are playing so well that another deep playoff run and Super Bowl victory are on the table.
