Heroics is a family tradition for Kelly and Matthew Stafford

The LA Rams expect heroics on the football field this year, with the addition of new quarterback Matthew Stafford. Heroics is likely what the team will get, as Stafford has made an NFL career of avoiding pressure, making impossible throws, and leading his team back to victory in a come-from-behind fashion that swells NFL highlights with examples of incredible plays.

And yet, heroics on the football field seem to pale when held up to the heroics that the Stafford clan has had to face in real life.

What do I mean? Well, professional football is a sport that many collegiate athletes aspire to play someday. It’s a huge business, accounting for billions and reaching around the globe in popularity. It’s one of the most popular sports in terms of entertainment in the USA. But it’s just a game.

Meet Matthew and Kelly Stafford. No, not the quarterback and his NFL supportive spouse. This is a couple arriving from Detroit, Michigan. And they have a shared tale of love, fear, hope, and a complete unraveling of everything they knew. Sometimes the best stories that emerge from the NFL have little to do with football. This may be one of those tales.

In April 2019, Kelly Stafford announced on Instagram that she has a benign brain tumor called an acoustic neuroma. It was the first indication of the ailment, and the Detroit Press covered the news with remarkable clarity and professionalism. Kristen Jordan Shamus of the Detroit Free Press interviewed Dr. Jack Rock, a neurosurgeon at Henry Ford Health System and co-director of its Skull Base, in order to understand what that meant for Kelly Stafford.