Matthew Stafford: Rams QB under fire after NFL photographer fractured his spine in the fall

An NFL photographer said she fractured her spine while trying to take a picture at a Super Bowl winning event at the Los Angeles Rams.

“Waiting for X-ray results in the emergency room. Both cameras are shattered but I’m fine,” NFL photo editor Kelly Smiley wrote while sharing a video clip of her falling off stage at the event. In a subsequent tweet, Ms Smiley said, “Unfortunately I broke my spine.”

The video was captured at the moment Mrs. Smiley fell, and Mr Stafford is seen reacting to her stumble before turning away from the accident. His response sparked criticism on social media, with some calling the move “cold”. Mr. Stafford’s wife, Kelly, appears to check on Mrs. Smiley after the fall.

This photographer ended up with a broken spine and [I don’t know] What’s even more disturbing: The way Stafford immediately turned around without even looking to check if she was okay or everyone in the comments was like, “Well bro didn’t push it, that’s not his problem,” one Twitter user He said.

“Pathetic move by Stafford, but is anyone really surprised?” Michael Dworkin chirp.

“Honestly, this is nonsense human behavior… I’m not here for his drunk excuse or whatever. How do you turn around and walk away…” another The account holder wrote.

Colleague Tim Kothlow wrote on a GoFundMe Mrs. Smiley’s page is described as “loved by all who know her and she is a highly respected individual in the photographic community”.

independent Reached out to Rams for comment.

Stafford, Cooper Cope, Aaron Donald and the rest of the Los Angeles Rams celebrated the Super Bowl on Wednesday with a victory parade and a crowded crowd as they told thousands of jubilant fans they would try to “give the ball back” and win again afterward. general.

Fans lined the sidewalks along the mile-long parade route as team members passed around a Lombardi Cup, drinking champagne and waving from open-top double-decker buses that rolled into a plaza outside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

A sea of ​​yellow and blue awaited them, a throng of supporters waving flags and decked out in rams’ gear.

“It’s a testament to this team and the people standing here, and the work we’ve put in, that we’ve been able to bring this back to this city that demands nothing less than a world championship,” said Mr. Cobb.

The celebration began on Sunday when the Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 after a final 79-yard drive by Mr. Stafford which ended with a TD throw of one yard for Mr. Cobb.

Three Los Angeles sports teams have won championships in the past two years, but the Lakers and Dodgers haven’t had rallies due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rams’ party came on the same day that Los Angeles County lifted its outdoor mask mandate as rates of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continued to decline.

The Associated Press contributed to this report