All the talk regarding the Los Angeles Rams’ plans under center this offseason had not gone unnoticed by quarterback Jared Goff.
Fortunately, he did not have to wait long for his answer after being dealt to the Detroit Lions along with two first-round picks and a third-rounder in exchange for quarterback Matthew Stafford.
The writing had seemingly been on the wall following Goff’s sub-par performance in the 2020 NFL season that saw him throw for 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while losing four fumbles. He will now have an opportunity for a fresh start as the new face of the Lions’ offense.
Goff was certainly no stranger to hearing the rumors about his uncertain future in Los Angeles. According to Sam Farmer of the L.A. Times, he admits that the decision helps provide some much-needed closure on his end:
“Ultimately, they wanted to go in a different direction,” Goff, part of a blockbuster quarterback swap that sent Matthew Stafford to the Rams, said Tuesday. “As the quarterback, as the guy that’s at arguably the most important position on the field, if you’re in a place that you’re not wanted and they want to move on from you, the feeling’s mutual.
“You don’t want to be in the wrong place. It became increasingly clear that was the case. [The trade] is something that I’m hopeful is going to be so good for my career.”
Goff added that he still takes solace in all that he was able to accomplish during his tenure in Los Angeles:
“I really enjoyed my time here,” said Goff, 26, “I want to leave this on a positive note. Obviously, the ending wasn’t favorable and wasn’t fun. But them drafting me No. 1 overall and bringing me to a city that hasn’t had a football team in a long time, being a part of that rebuild after 2016, being able to help bring L.A. football back to prominence, all that stuff I take extreme pride in. It’s something that I’ll always remember.”
The Rams ushered in a new era for their franchise by trading up to take Goff with the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft following the team’s relocation. His emergence under head coach Sean McVay sparked quite a turnaround as he led the Rams to back-to-back division titles and a Super Bowl LIII appearance while earning Pro Bowl honors twice in the process.
Goff was rewarded with a lucrative four-year, $134 million extension that included $110 million guaranteed for his efforts going into the 2019 campaign. Unfortunately, he failed to provide much bang for his buck with his dwindling play ever since and this forced the Rams to move on.
He will now have the opportunity to get his career back on track in Detroit, while the Rams get a quarterback in Stafford that they feel can get them back to the Super Bowl.
