Moment Rams QB Matthew Stafford turns his back on photographer who fell of rally stage

The LA Rams will cover a female photographer’s hospital bills after she fractured her spine when she fell off a stage during the team’s Super Bowl celebrations in Los Angeles on Wednesday in front of quarterback Matthew Stafford, who abruptly turned his back on her. 

NFL photographer Kelly Smiley was seen on video walking backwards before falling off the stage outside the LA Memorial Coliseum, where the post-parade rally was held. 

Although she fell off screen, a group of concerned onlookers that included Stafford’s wife, Kelly, were seen rushing to Smiley’s attention.

Stafford, himself, was not one of them.

Apparently all out of heroics after leading the Rams on a game-winning 79-yard drive against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Stafford said ‘oh my God’ and did an immediate about-face as Smiley plummeted to the ground. 

In a classless move, he then retreated in the opposite direction while Kelly tried to help Smiley.  

Initially, Smiley – who says on her website that she works as a photo editor for the NFL, NBA and NHL – said she only suffered some broken equipment.

‘That’s me,’ tweeted Smiley. ‘Waiting at the ER for X-ray results. Both my cameras broke but I’m ok.’ 

Later, on Instagram, Smiley showed off the back brace she was given at the hospital, writing that she was ‘feeling OK’ but was ‘staying the night in the trama (sic) center.’ 

‘Unfortunately I fractured my spine,’ she wrote in the post. 

On Thursday afternoon, the LA Rams told DailyMail.com in a statement – which was issued on behalf of the team and the Staffords – that the team has been in touch with Smiley since the incident. 

‘We are sorry for what happened. As we told Kelly, we will be covering all her hospital bills and replacing her cameras. We wish her a speedy recovery,’ the team said. 

Kelly Smiley, who was shooting the event, was seen on video accidentally walking backwards off the stage outside the LA Memorial Coliseum, where the post-parade rally was held. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is seen in black on the left-hand side of the frame 

Although she fell off screen, a group of concerned onlookers including Stafford’s wife, Kelly (right, in blue), were seen rushing to Smiley’s attention

Later, on Instagram, Smiley showed the brace she was given at the hospital, writing that she was ‘feeling OK’ but was ‘staying the night in the trama (sic) center’

Since then, a friend of Smiley’s has started a GoFundMe page to help with her medical costs and to replace the equipment she broke. 

‘The funds raised by this gofundme will help cover Kelly’s growing medical expenses as well as replace the camera gear that was severely damaged due to her fall,’ wrote the friend, identified as Tim Kothlow. ‘Since Kelly is a working photographer, she needs this gear to help keep her working after fully recovering.

‘Kelly is loved by all who know her and is a well-respected individual in the photography community,’ Kothlow continued. ‘Please consider donating to this gofundme to help Kelly hit the ground running after she heals up.’

As of Thursday morning, the page had raised $3,500 of its $30,000 goal.

Initially, Smiley – who says on her website that she works as a photo editor for the NFL, NBA and NHL – said she only suffered some broken equipment

Stafford tweeted a follow-up after her ER visit saying: ‘Unfortunately I fractured my spine’

Kelly Smiley (left, right) a photographer shooting the Rams’ Super Bowl celebration in Los Angeles on Wednesday, says she suffered a fractured spine falling from the team’s stage in front of quarterback Matthew Stafford, who walked away rather than offering her any help. Later, on Instagram, Smiley showed the brace she was given at the hospital, writing that she was ‘feeling OK’ but was ‘staying the night in the trama (sic) center’

Stafford was roundly criticized on social media with many slamming him for his classless behavior. 

‘What a gentleman. Fathers do better in teaching your sons. Men be better mentors. #BeKindAlways #MatthewStafford she fractured her spine while doing her job. Hope any water you drink is SALTY,’ Petra Malusclava tweeted.

Another tweeted at Smilely: ‘Sincerely hope you get better from that unfortunate fall. Matthew Stafford could had (sic) shown more empathy & ask if you were okay or called security for medical attention but instead sipped his water bottle and walked away like nothing happened #Classless.’

User @Waffles1975 pointed out that the incident ‘shows all you need to know about Matthew Stafford’s character right there’.

Smiley, who is bound to be saddled with medical bills after fracturing her spine, also had the support of another user, Christopher Carley who said: ‘I hope Matthew Stafford can find some spare change in his $60.5 million contract he’s getting paid to the young lady’s GoFundMe.’ 

‘What a gentleman. Fathers do better in teaching your sons. Men be better mentors. #BeKindAlways #MatthewStafford she fractured her spine while doing her job. Hope any water you drink is SALTY,’ Petra Malusclava tweeted.

User @Waffles1975 pointed out that the incident ‘shows all you need to know about Matthew Stafford’s character right there’.

Smiley, who is bound to be saddled with medical bills after fracturing her spine, also had the support of another user, Christopher Carley who said: ‘I hope Matthew Stafford can find some spare change in his $60.5 million contract he’s getting paid to the young lady’s GoFundMe.’

‘Trying to figure out how a clearly intoxicated Matthew Stafford was going to help this lady’, wrote @PostinMonkey

Some though, defended him and said he couldn’t have helped because he was drunk.

‘Trying to figure out how a clearly intoxicated Matthew Stafford was going to help this lady,’ wrote  

The incident took place near the end of Wednesday’s festivities, which included a curiously short parade through Los Angeles.

Tens of thousands of spectators lined up for the parade route that started at 11am local time and ran only a mile through the city, culminating with the noon rally just outside LA Memorial Coliseum, the club’s former home.

Stafford, seated atop a double-decker bus with wife Kelly, was seen enjoying a cigar and a beer during the parade. At one point, retiree Tom Brady shared a word of advice for the Rams quarterback on Twitter.

‘Mix in a water Matt…trust me,’ tweeted Brady, who was famously inebriated during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ victory parade a year ago.

Stafford appeared to take the advance, because he was drinking water when Smiley fell from the stage.

Photographer Kelly Smiley fell during the Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl parade/celebration, February 16, 2022. According to her tweet, she fractured her back after the fall. She now has a GoFundMe to cover her medical expenses and damaged photo equipment

A friend of Smiley’s started a GoFundMe page to help with her medical costs and to replace the equipment she broke. As of Thursday morning, the page had raised $3,500 of its $30,000 goal

Also appearing with Stafford were his favorite target, Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp, and left tackle Andrew Whitworth, who appeared with his children atop the double-decker bus.

‘It’s a testament to this team and the guys that are standing up here, the work that we put in, that we were able to bring this back to this city that demands nothing less than a world championship,’ said game MVP Kupp, who wore a Kobe Bryant Lakers jersey.

Matthew Stafford raises a bottle to toast Rams fans in attendance at Wednesday’s rally in LA

Stafford, seated atop a double-decker bus with wife Kelly, was seen enjoying a cigar and a beer during the parade. At one point, retiree Tom Brady shared a word of advice for the Rams quarterback on Twitter

Tom Brady warned Matthew Stafford to ‘mix in water’ one year after his own drunken victory parade through Tampa Bay

To mark the occasion, the city altered one of its most recognizable landmarks: The famed ‘Hollywood’ sign at Mount Lee in the Santa Monica Mountains.

With the help of some large tarps, the sign was altered to read ‘Rams House,’ which has never really been a fitting description for a city that has always seemed to prefer the NBA’s Lakers and Major League Baseball’s Dodgers.

To mark the occasion, the city altered one of its most recognizable landmarks: The famed ‘Hollywood’ sign at Mount Lee in the Santa Monica Mountains was tweaked so that it now reads ‘RAMS HOUSE’

Even the Raiders, who played in LA from 1982 until 1994 and won the city’s only other Super Bowl title in 1983, have traditionally boasted more fans in Southern California than the Rams.

LA was famously indifferent to the club for much of the club’s first stint in the city from 1946 until 1994. The Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995 and shocked the NFL by winning a Super Bowl four seasons later, but returned back to LA in 2016 with the promise of a new stadium.

Since then, coach Sean McVay’s club has reached two Super Bowls, including Sunday’s 23-20 win over the AFC-champion Cincinnati Bengals, and the city is no longer indifferent to the Rams.

‘What a day in Los Angeles, the Rams are Super Bowl Champions,’ Mayor Eric Garcetti said after announcing the alterations to the ‘Hollywood’ sign earlier in the week. ‘This town has the best teams and fans in the world, and we can’t wait to show off our LA pride with a display that only Hollywood could deliver. Go Rams.’

Rams head coach Sean McVay, center, reacts with players at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum following the parade

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