Kelly Stafford has enjoyed watching Christen Harper bond with the Detroit Lions wives and girlfriends ever since their respective husbands swapped teams.

“I honestly love that when you came in there … the team girls have really gotten close, which I love watching,” Stafford, 35, told Harper, 31, during the Friday, September 6, episode of the former’s “Morning After” podcast. “I feel like I really struggle with that here since I’m really f–king old.”

Kelly’s husband, quarterback Matthew Stafford, spent most of his career with the Lions. In 2020, he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Jared Goff. (Goff, 29, married Harper earlier this year.)

During the podcast episode, Kelly admitted that she did recently host a party for the other Rams wives that was “fun.”

“I will say, now that our house is done, maybe we’ll host a little more, but I love that I said I’m f–king old,” Kelly quipped. “Guys, I currently have a heating pad around my neck and shoulders.”

Harper further stressed that Kelly looks like she’s 21, which she called “annoying.”

“It’s [just] the lighting, you guys,” Kelly noted, adding that she’s been “jealous” of the way Detroit has embraced Harper and Goff.

The Age Gap in the NFL

Kelly is not alone in feeling like an outsider. Many NFL wives have spoken out about the challenges of being part of a group where they are significantly older than most of the other wives.

“It’s definitely a different world when you’re married to an NFL player,” said one wife, who asked to remain anonymous. “You’re constantly surrounded by people who are much younger than you, and it can be hard to relate to them.”

Another wife, who also asked to remain anonymous, said that she often feels like she’s “out of touch” with the other wives’ interests.

“They’re all talking about the latest fashion trends or the hottest new restaurants, and I’m just trying to keep up,” she said. “I feel like I’m living in a different era.”

The Physical Risks of the Game

For Kelly, the age gap is just one of the many challenges of being an NFL wife. She also has to deal with the constant fear of her husband getting injured. Every time Matthew gets sacked, Kelly’s heart sinks.

“It’s not the easiest watching this sport,” Kelly told E! News. “Especially when you have a loved one on the field.”

She’s accepted that, say, a shoulder separation or a tailbone fracture are all part of the game. “I’m like, ‘Okay, you broke something, whatever. We’ll figure it out,’” she said. However, continued the 35-year-old, “I worry about the head because it’s the one [injury] people push through and they shouldn’t.”

The Emotional Toll of the Game

The physical risks of the game also take an emotional toll on Kelly. She worries about Matthew’s long-term health, and she knows that his career will eventually come to an end.

“You take more hits the longer you play,” she noted. “And he’s on year 16. So that is very heavy on my heart every time I go to the game. It’s part of the reason why I get so nervous.”

Kelly’s worries are not unfounded. According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, NFL players are more than twice as likely to suffer from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) than the general population. CTE is a degenerative brain disease that is linked to repeated head injuries.

The Support System

Despite the challenges, Kelly knows that she’s not alone. She has a strong support system in her husband, her family, and her friends.

“Matthew is such a calming force in my life,” Kelly said. “I feel like I have a lot of stress that I carry and he just settles me and he’s such an incredible man in so many ways.”

Kelly also has a close-knit group of friends who are also NFL wives. They understand the unique challenges of being in this position, and they offer each other support and advice.

“We’re all in this together,” said one NFL wife. “We know what it’s like to be married to a player, and we know what it’s like to deal with the ups and downs of the game.”

The Balancing Act

Kelly is also a mother of four young daughters, so she has to juggle the demands of being an NFL wife with the demands of motherhood. It’s a tough balancing act, but she’s determined to make it work.

“I give him that push that he might need, and to realize he’s more than a football player, because I feel like sometimes they get lost in that too,” said Kelly, who remains active with the SAY Detroit Play Center. “We just balance each other out.”

A Life Beyond Football

While Kelly is proud of her husband’s accomplishments on the field, she also knows that there’s more to life than football. She’s working on building a career for herself, and she’s determined to make sure that her daughters have a happy and fulfilling life, regardless of what happens in Matthew’s career.

“At the end of the day, I want my husband to be who he was when I met him and married him after he’s done playing and helping me raise these girls,” Kelly noted. “We have a whole life after the NFL.”

The Cleat Chaser Tour

Kelly is not just an NFL wife, she’s also a successful podcaster and entrepreneur. She’s currently on tour with her co-host, Hank Winchester, for their podcast, “The Morning After.” The tour is called the “Cleat Chaser Tour,” a nod to the fact that they will be traveling around the country, following Matthew’s career.

The tour is a way for Kelly to connect with her fans and share her unique perspective on life as an NFL wife. It’s also a chance for her to show that she’s more than just a football player’s wife.

“It’s about life,” Kelly said of the gameplan for their six-date tour. “It’s about parenting. There might be a splash of football in there, but for the most part, it’s just to have a fun night, have some cocktails with your friends and get some good laughs in.”

The Next Chapter

Kelly Stafford is a strong, independent woman who is making her own mark on the world. She’s a wife, a mother, a podcaster, and an entrepreneur. She’s also a voice for other NFL wives who are navigating the challenges of this unique lifestyle.

As Matthew’s career winds down, Kelly is looking forward to the next chapter in her life. She’s excited to focus on her own goals and dreams, and she knows that she will continue to be a supportive partner to her husband, even after the final whistle blows.

“It’s something I remind him of when it gets into the thick of the season: Just do your best to stay healthy and run as fast as you can.”

So while Matthew and his fellow Rams take to the field, check out how he supports his squad off of the turf.