Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
After a career filled with on-the-field heartbreak, Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is days away from a chance to rewrite his football legacy. And the moment was only possible because of his family.
Stafford’s impact on the Rams has been nothing short of spectacular during his first season in Los Angeles, which began last March when the team acquired him in a trade with the Detroit Lions.
Now, the 34-year-old will appear in his first-everSuper Bowlon Sunday when the Rams take on the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
But when Detroit hired a new coach and general manager before the start of the season, Stafford approached management andofficially requested a tradefrom the team. This life-changing moment could have only been made with the backing of his family, he said.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them,” Stafford, who shares four daughters with his wife,Kelly, told PEOPLE in a media conference on his birthday Monday. “I would never have made the decision to go in and ask to be traded [somewhere] unless I had full support from my family and understanding that things were going to change, things were going to be different both professionally and personally.”
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
“Having that support is the reason that I’m here today,” he added. “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.”
With the help of key Rams' players including Aaron Donald, Cooper Kupp, Andrew Whitworth, and Odell Beckham, Jr., Stafford guided the team to a 12-5 record during the regular season.
The Rams faced formidable opponents in this season’s playoffs. They eliminated the Arizona Cardinals in the Wild Card round and followed up that victory with an impressive win againstTom Bradyand the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (which would beBrady’s final NFL game).
But the most memorable moment of the playoffs for these Rams is likely their NFC championship win against the rival San Francisco 49ers, a franchise that had beaten them six straight times.
It’s an incredible turnaround for Stafford, considering the Lions went 5-11 during his last season in Detroit. For the former Georgia Bulldog, family has been key to the success he’s found in Los Angeles.
“I mean, every step of the way,” Stafford told PEOPLE of how his loved ones have helped him find strength during this Super Bowl run. “Every step of the way this season, it hasn’t all been perfect, both on the field, off the field.”
“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, a lot of times, that’s the exact thing I need,” he continued.
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When Stafford suits up for his first Super Bowl this Sunday, he’ll not only have a team with him on the field, but another in the stands who have been there with him through it all.
source: people.com
