“Kelly’s Selfish”: Matthew Stafford’s Wife Faces Backlash Over Joe Fox Apology Incident

Mathew and Kelly Stafford share a laugh during speeches for the ribbon cutting of the Kelly and Matthew Stafford and Friends Education Center at the S.A.Y Detroit Play Center in Detroit on Monday, April 1, 2024.

Matthew Stafford’s wife, Kelly, is in the middle of a social media storm after spilling the beans about her lighthearted college romance. As it turns out, she had dated one of Matthew’s backup QBs to get his attention, which sparked an intense online controversy. To mend the damage, Mrs. Stafford publicly apologized on her Instagram; however, things went even further south when she was blamed for misleading NFL fans with her alleged story.

During the Pivot Podcast, former NFL players Ryan Clark, Fred Taylor, and Channing Crowder delved into the fallout from Kelly’s apology post. They believed that addressing the issue publicly was unnecessary and could have been resolved privately, especially considering the relationships involved between the families.

The hosts, especially Fred Taylor, blasted Kelly for being “self-centered,” which they felt was driven by motives rather than feeling sorry.

“Kelly is selfish at the end of the day. She’s very selfish. I mean, to even bring it up, as you said originally at this venture, you know, it makes absolutely zero sense. And then to double down and bring this man’s entire family out of the woodwork. He was at peace chilling, so I think she’s selfish.”

The Joe Fox “apology incident” has turned into a web of stories. So, what really transpired, and why is Kelly Stafford feeling defensive? In an interview on the “Off the Vine” podcast, Kelly revealed that she was dating one of Matthew’s backup QBs from their University of Georgia days. Her intention was to create jealousy in Matthew — a strategy she admitted to having successfully achieved.

Unexpectedly, the internet fixated on finding the identity of this backup quarterback. Speculation ran wild, with many suspicions landing on Joe Cox, another Georgia quarterback at the time.

Taken aback by the attention, Kelly took to the media to offer apologies in the last week of June. Well, not to Matthew, but to Joe Cox and his family. This led to allegations against Kelly for deceiving NFL fans and disrupting the peace of the Cox family, creating havoc online.

Notably, Cox is happily married to a woman named Erica. Cox met her while they were both students at the University of Georgia, and she was also a cheerleader like Kelly. Currently, they are parents to three children.

Looking back on the podcast conversation, the trio of hosts also argued that a private apology like a phone call could have led to a positive outcome for Kelly in managing the situation more wisely.

Would a Private Apology Have Changed the Situation for Kelly Stafford?

Clark, Taylor, and Crowder believe that a private apology from Kelly Stafford would have been more genuine. This could have allowed her to directly recognize the harm caused without facing scrutiny.

They pointed out that the public apology came across as insincere and disrespectful of the family’s privacy. Whereas, a private apology could have shown true regret and consideration for those involved.

“You apologize by calling them, doing it behind the scenes, and saying “I’m sorry.” When you have that sort of connection—that lady was a cheerleader, he was a quarterback—your families probably know each other. But you definitely are tied to some of the same people.”

Looking at the positives, there’s no hint of trouble in paradise between Matthew and his wife, Kelly. Three days ago, she hit back at the online naysayers by posting a picture with the Rams QB from Chris Stapleton’s concert. In the caption, she targeted the “insecure men” who were busy shaming her for sharing her side of the story, while her husband appeared to be okay with it.