Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Los Angeles Rams quarterbackMatthew Staffordis competing in the firstSuper Bowlof his career, and his wife, Kelly Stafford, made sure he had a fitting send-off before the game.
Stafford’s friends and family gathered on Sunday to wish him well before the NFL veteran made his way to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, for Super Bowl 56.
Kelly posted a video of the send-off toInstagramon Sunday, which showed the quarterback’s loved ones cheering him on as he drove off to the stadium.
“He loved every second,” Kelly added with a “wink” emoji. “What a moment. LFG.”
Matthew spent the first 12 seasons of his career with the Detroit Lions before he requested a trade from the franchise before the start of this season.
The Lions ultimately traded him to Los Angeles, which led to the best season of his career.
The Rams then beat the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship to reach this year’s Super Bowl.
Throughout his remarkable season with the Rams, Matthew said he owed his success to the support of his family, including Kelly and their four daughters.
“Having that support is the reason that I’m here today,” he told PEOPLE before the game. “The fact that we got chosen to join the L.A. Rams is something that we feel so blessed to be a part of and have that opportunity.”
Before joining the Rams, the father of four had appeared in the playoffs only three times with the Lions, losing each game.
At 34 years old, Matthew — and the Rams, a franchise that hasn’t won a Super Bowl since 2000 — is in a virtual must-win situation. TheBengals, however, haven’t appeared in a Super Bowl for more than three decades, and the city is hungry for a win, as well.
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“I’m tired of the underdog narrative,” Burrow saidafter the Bengals beat the Tennesee Titansduring the playoffs, according toSports Illustrated. “We’re a really really good team. We’re here to make noise.”
Matthew, though, told PEOPLE that the struggles he encountered during the season were only overcome thanks to the help of his family.
“There’s been times where we’ve struggled on the field and you get to go home to a wife and four little girls that just want to play dress up and want to talk to you about something other than football,” he said, “a lot of times, that’s the exact thing I need.”
source: people.com
