Kelly Stafford, the wife of Matthew Stafford, recently addressed the future of her podcast “The Morning After” during an Instagram Q&A session, revealing why the show has been on hiatus since October 2025.

Originally launched in September 2021, The Morning After featured Kelly as the main host before she later welcomed journalist Hank Winchester as a co-host. Over the years, the podcast developed a loyal following thanks to its honest conversations about motherhood, relationships, and life in the NFL. The show occasionally featured appearances from Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford as well.

Why Kelly Stafford Paused Her Podcast

Kelly first stepped away from the podcast in early October 2025, initially planning a one-month break. However, the hiatus has now extended to nearly seven months.

The decision came as Kelly balanced several responsibilities, including raising four daughters—twins Sawyer and Chandler, along with Hunter and Tyler—while supporting Matthew during the demanding NFL season.

During the Instagram Q&A, Kelly explained that stepping back was important for her mental health and to reassess the direction of the show.

“bFor right now, just for somewhat of my mental health, and it’s also midseason, there have been changes with this podcast,” she shared. “I just think I need to take a step back and kind of figure out what the plan is.”

The Anxiety Behind the Headlines

While Kelly said she still loves podcasting, she admitted the weekly pressure that came with releasing new episodes became overwhelming. The anticipation of media headlines and potential misinterpretations created anxiety before each episode even aired.

“I miss it a lot. What I don’t miss is the anxiety I used to get the night before every episode was released, wondering what headline was going to be created from the episode,” Kelly explained.

She added that seeing her name frequently appear in headlines was never the goal of the podcast. Instead, the show was meant to create open conversations about real-life experiences.

Supporting Matthew Stafford and Family Life

During the podcast break, Kelly focused on family life and supporting Matthew Stafford through one of the strongest seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Rams. She frequently attended games with their daughters and shared family moments on social media throughout the season.

Kelly said the time away from podcasting allowed her to fully enjoy being present for her family without the pressure of producing weekly content.

Could “The Morning After” Return?

Although Kelly Stafford has not confirmed when the podcast might return, she hinted that she is working on a new direction for the show. Her goal is to reshape the podcast into something meaningful for listeners while avoiding the negative attention that sometimes followed previous episodes.

“I think you can do a lot of good with a podcast if you do it right,” she said. “So I’m trying to figure out what that looks like and still be super enjoyable for y’all.”

For now, The Morning After remains on pause. However, Kelly Stafford made it clear that she has not completely closed the door on the podcast and plans to update fans once she decides on its future.