Photo: Getty Images North America
The celebration parade on Wednesday took a scary turn when NFL photographer Kelly Smiley was seriously injured in a fall from the stage.
Viral video circulated on Wednesday, showing Smiley with a phone to take a photo for Matthew Stafford and his wife, Kelly, before falling backwards off the stage. The Rams quarterback faced intense criticism for how he reacted to the fall, turning away and not even attempting to check on Smiley. Kelly Stafford showed concern and went to check on Smiley before the feed cut away. As the video went viral, Smiley revealed that she had suffered a fractured spine and damaged her camera equipment in the fall.
The Rams and Stafford released a joint statement on Thursday:
"We have been in communication with Kelly Smiley since yesterday's incident and 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."
Photo: Getty Images