Matthew Stafford explains viral reaction to NFL photographer fall at Super Bowl parade

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford went viral during the Super Bowl-winning parade but for all of the wrong reasons. When a photographer fell down off a stage, Stafford seemingly turned away, letting his wife, Kelly, tend to her instead of assisting the woman up.

Kelly explained on her podcast, The Morning After with Kelly Stafford, the whole situation.

First, she said the photographer asked if Kelly would like a picture with just her and her husband.

“When she offered, she steped back and fell,” Kelly said. “And it was an awful, awful moment. Matthew looked at me and said, ‘Check her please,’ and turned around.”

Kelly says she went “straight to” the photographer to check on her and saw that she “could see that she was ok.” She never left the photogropher’s side and waited around for some medical help to check up on her.

Later on, when getting in the car, Kelly says Stafford asked her to check on the photographer to make sure everything ended up being ok.

“We followed up with her, the moment we got in the car, Matthew actually looked at me and said, ‘Hey, will you contact the Rams, ask how she’s doing?’ Did that, they’re like, ‘We think she’s going to be OK.’ We sent her flowers. Next day we wake up, not OK,” Kelly explained.

Kelly Smiley, the photographer, had put out on social media that she had fractured her back during the fall, bringing a lot of criticism toward the Los Angeles quarterback. Kelly Stafford said Matthew personally texted Smiley to check up on her.

Stafford commented on the situation himself, saying everything that happened in front of him happened at such a quick pace and unexpectedly. The quarterback did go on to admit that he wishes he handled the matter in a different way.

“Yeah, I mean, that obviously happened really quickly and suddenly and unexpectedly, and wish I had a better reaction in the moment,” Stafford said.

Smiley has been told all of her medical bills will be paid for, with the Staffords covering them. The Los Angeles Rams will help out as well. On top of that, Stafford will help replace any camera equipment that was damaged during the fall.