After much speculation, Matthew Stafford is returning as the quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, which could create some tension for his wife, Kelly Stafford.

Matthew, 37, finalized a restructured contract with the Rams on Friday, February 28, following meetings with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants about their quarterback positions. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the new deal will give Matthew a “substantial raise” from the $27 million he was set to earn next season.

This news follows Kelly’s comments weeks earlier on her “The Morning After” podcast, where she voiced her frustrations with the Rams organization after a report suggested the team wanted to trade wide receiver Cooper Kupp.

“I honestly wasn’t planning on discussing this, but why not?” Kelly said during the February 6 episode. “My husband wants to win. He’s not trying to put a team in a bad position. If you’re picking up on it, you’re picking up on it.”

Kelly continued, “The idea of trading Cooper, I’m confused. We were one play away from going to the NFC Championship. I believe if we went, we would win.”

The Rams lost 28-22 to the Philadelphia Eagles, who went on to win the Super Bowl, in the NFC Divisional Round on January 19.

“I have to be the one to stand up for him,” Kelly added. “I want him to get the respect he deserves. Yes, I love L.A. I truly do. But I also love the thrill of a new adventure.”

The Rams have yet to find a team willing to trade for 31-year-old Kupp, who was drafted by Los Angeles in 2017.

After it became clear that Kupp’s future in L.A. was uncertain, his wife, Anna Marie, who has grown close to Kelly since Matthew’s 2021 trade to the Rams, posted a heartfelt farewell to the city.

“Los Angeles,” Anna Marie wrote on Instagram on February 3. “Married to the love of my life at 21, young and with everything ahead of us, we could only dream of where this NFL journey would take us. A new adventure is on the way, full of excitement and anxiety intertwined.”

She continued, “I’m so grateful to have spent the last 9 years in this beautiful city that became our home. Both anxious and excited for what comes next. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all who made it so hard to say goodbye. I love you, L.A.”