Kelly Stafford Dishes on Why NFL Draft Night Isn’t a Plus-One Party

The NFL Draft is the stage for football dreams, but Kelly Stafford has some real talk for players considering making it a big couples’ night.

This year, over 30 prospects got their big moment on Thursday, with hundreds more hoping for that life-changing call as the draft rolls on. Kelly Stafford, wife of Super Bowl champ Matthew Stafford, has a unique perspective on what happens behind the draft night curtain—especially when it comes to who makes the guest list.

On her "Morning After" podcast, Kelly opened up about her own draft experience back in 2009 when Matthew was the number one pick. New York City was buzzing, yet Kelly wasn’t in the audience. Her absence wasn’t random—she’s got opinions about whether significant others should be front and center during such a milestone event.

Kelly didn’t mince words: she’s not a fan of players bringing girlfriends to the draft. She explained, "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."

That’s a bit of life wisdom: draft night photos are forever, but relationships might not be. Awkward family photo, anyone?

The Staffords tied the knot in 2015 and now have four daughters, so Kelly knows a thing or two about family dynamics. She even compared the NFL draft dilemma to the classic wedding party debate—do you include a sibling’s partner if they’re not engaged? Kelly joked that her brother Chad Hall did marry his girlfriend Rose, so their family album dodged that bullet. But she made it clear: not everyone’s so lucky when the guest list outpaces the ring count.

Matthew Stafford spent 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions before heading west in a blockbuster trade to the Los Angeles Rams. Meanwhile, Kelly’s podcast, co-hosted with Henry Winchester, covers everything from football to parenting to figuring out friendships. Kelly says she’s open and vulnerable on the mic, crediting her sense of safety with her podcast community.