Kelly Stafford, the wife of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, announced in October that she was stepping back from The Morning After podcast to prioritize her mental health and explore the show’s direction.
Though not mentioned in the announcement, the decision coincided with the news that former co-host, WDIV-TV consumer affairs reporter Hank Winchester, had been fired by the station following a police investigation into allegations that he made sexual advances during a massage.
This week, Stafford announced in a social media post that she will extend her hiatus to focus on her family and Matthew’s efforts as part of a successful Rams season.
“I feel this pull to get back to my roots, and to do that, I have to pour into the people I love most,” Kelly posted on Instagram. “I’ve got a husband in the middle of one hell of a season, and I want to be fully locked in with him. I want to be present for my girls. I want to give my whole heart to the people who have always given theirs to me.”
The last original episode of The Morning After was released on October 2.
Stafford said in her IG post that she started the podcast to help other moms out there “feel seen” because she was “so damn tired of social media pretending everything was perfect.”
“And that hasn’t changed,” she added. “If anything, it’s even more true now. This space has been exactly what I needed. It has been unbelievably good for me and more importantly…my family.”
Kelly also said that this wasn’t a “goodbye… it’s a ‘see y’all later,” noting that she was “excited for whatever the next chapter of TMA becomes someday.”
“Thank you for letting me grow, change, fall apart, rebuild, and evolve right alongside you. Thank you for loving me through all my versions,” she wrote.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.