David Blough, who is now Washington's offensive coordinator, just dropped an absolutely wild story about Matthew Stafford that proves the star QB's character goes way beyond the field. Blough, entering his third year of coaching, spilled the beans on Ari Meirov's podcast about Stafford, who is about to kick off his 18th NFL season fresh off winning his first MVP award. It's a reminder of the kind of leader Stafford truly is.
That Time Stafford Flew a Rookie's Wife Home
Back in 2019, Blough was a fresh-faced, undrafted rookie third-string quarterback for the Detroit Lions. He had been traded to Detroit on August 30, right before the season started, after signing as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns. He'd known Matthew Stafford for maybe a month, total. Fast forward to Week 5, and Detroit was on its bye week after Week 4. Blough's wife, Melissa, an accomplished hurdler, was all the way in Doha, Qatar, for the World Athletics Championships. Blough hadn't seen her since she hit the international circuit. This is where Stafford, the veteran, stepped up in a way you just don't hear about every day. "My wife was running internationally," Blough explained on the podcast. "In 2019, she was running at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar. And I hadn’t seen her since she went on the international circuit. Our bye week was after Week 4, and I had known Matthew for a whole month. That’s it. Just one month." Melissa had finished her season in the quarterfinals, so her season was officially over. Blough described how Stafford called him on the Tuesday of their bye week, knowing they had Thursday through Sunday off, and laid out an offer nobody would expect. "He says, ‘How come she can’t fly home? How come she can’t come home for the bye week? You need to see her. It’s a long season.’ She wasn’t able to fly back yet and he calls me on the Tuesday of our bye week... and he calls me and says, ‘Hey, can she get on a flight tomorrow night from Doha to Chicago? You can pick her up there. I’ll pay for it. I’ll fly your wife home for you. I had known him for a month, and he is doing this for me." Stafford not only showed tremendous leadership but also took it upon himself to do something extremely kind for a brand new, young teammate. That's a true leader.Blough's New Gig and What's Next
Blough was on point during Meirov's podcast, covering a ton of ground besides that amazing Stafford story. As Washington's new offensive coordinator, he also dove into discussions about Jayden Daniels and the offense he plans to run with the Commanders in the 2026 season. It's a wild journey for Blough, from undrafted rookie getting a life-changing assist from a teammate to calling plays in the NFL. You have to wonder if that lesson in leadership and team chemistry from Stafford has stuck with him. With Blough now running the show in Washington and Stafford gearing up for his 18th season, fans will be watching to see how these two careers continue to unfold, especially with the Commanders looking to implement Blough's offensive vision with Daniels.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.