Before Matthew Stafford was a Super Bowl champion or one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league, he and his wife Kelly were just two hopeful parents facing a quiet struggle: infertility. That battle shaped them—far beyond the headlines or highlight reels. Now, with Stafford signing a fresh $84 million Rams deal with $44 million guaranteed for the 2025 season, the couple is channeling their platform and resources into something more personal and profound.

Inspired by their IVF journey—a story marked by both heartbreak and eventual joy—the Staffords have stepped up as powerful advocates for families walking the same path. They’ve funded seven-figure donations, raised national awareness, and offered something far more tangible: real financial help.

Through the Brilora Fertility Foundation (formerly Chosen Fertility Group), Kelly and Matthew Stafford are currently offering two separate IVF grants worth up to $20,000 each. One is available through the Michigan Center for Fertility & Women’s Health, and the other applies to any fertility clinic within 40 miles of Los Angeles. These grants aim to ease the massive financial burden for families trying to conceive—because as Kelly knows, that pain runs deep.

“I think when you go through infertility, you feel like you’re alone, and you’re not.” — Kelly Stafford

In a recent Instagram post, Kelly encouraged families in need to apply: “The Stafford IVF Grants are still open, supporting hopeful parents in Michigan – Michigan Center for Fertility and California – any clinic within 40 miles of Los Angeles. You’re not alone. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to apply, this is it. Apply now at: www[dot]choseninfertility[dot]com/grant.”

But this isn’t her first time putting infertility advocacy front and center. As board chair of Brilora, Kelly helped lead the foundation’s gala earlier this year in Casalina, California, where she reinforced the emotional and social toll of infertility. “1 in 6 couples struggle to conceive, but as a society, we still have a long way to go in raising awareness and having open conversations about it.”

The Staffords’ giving doesn’t stop at IVF grants. Their philanthropic efforts also extend to SAY Detroit, where they’ve donated generously to support underserved communities. In one standout example, they gifted $1 million to help build the Kelly and Matthew Stafford & Friends Education Center, an annex to the SAY Detroit Play Center. The facility now houses classrooms, a theater, vocational labs, and a variety of youth development programs.

From education to holiday meals to school supplies, the couple continues to serve the Detroit community that shaped much of Matthew’s early NFL career. But it’s clear the cause closest to their hearts remains infertility awareness and support.

The Staffords’ own journey: From IVF to a family of six

Matthew and Kelly’s story began like many others—hopeful, uncertain, and quietly painful. After struggling to conceive, the couple turned to IVF in 2016, ultimately welcoming twin daughters Sawyer and Chandler. Later, they were blessed again with daughters Hunter and Tyler, both conceived without medical intervention.

Kelly opened up about their journey earlier this year at an infertility awareness event in Las Vegas: “Even though it’s been years since our own experience with infertility, it’s a community you belong to forever.”

Now parents of four, the Staffords are focused on raising their girls with “kind and strong hearts”—and ensuring other families have the chance to experience that same joy. The IVF grants they now fund aren’t just checks; they’re extensions of their story, lived and shared.

By stepping forward with both vulnerability and action, the Staffords are helping rewrite what support looks like for families facing infertility—one grant, one family, and one life-changing cycle at a time.