When head coach Sean McVay arrived to Los Angeles, the No. 1 priority for the team was to get the most out of Jared Goff, who they selected No. 1 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Goff’s rookie year was a disaster under previous head coach Jeff Fisher, inevitably leading numerous pundits and fans to label the quarterback a bust after his first year. However, McVay turned the narrative around completely when he helped Goff become one of the league’s most productive quarterbacks.
With McVay at the helm, Goff was named to the Pro Bowl twice and led the Rams to Super Bowl LII where they lost 13-3 to the eventual champions the New England Patriots. For his performance, the Rams awarded Goff a lucrative four-year extension that signaled he would be their quarterback going forward.
However, McVay and Goff’s relationship quickly went downhill as the team struggled to score points in the following seasons. At the conclusion of the 2020 season, Los Angeles decided to trade Goff away to the Detroit Lions in exchange for Matthew Stafford.
Stafford eventually helped the Rams capture Super Bowl LVI, while Goff has flourished with the Lions. When asked about Goff’s 2022 season with Detroit, McVay gave the signal caller his due.
“He’s done a great job. Really, he’s played really good football, you can see he’s playing with confidence,” McVay said Tuesday. “I think (Lions OC) Ben Johnson has done an outstanding job of being able to kind of put them in some good spots, and then Jared ultimately brings it to life, but they’ve really played well offensively. Again, just being a fan of the game, we’ve crossed over with them and I think Jared’s playing at a really high level and he’s done outstanding.”
Goff’s enjoyed the comfort of a solid offensive line and playmakers both in the backfield and lined out wide, luxuries that alluded the Rams who have dealt with injuries all across the roster. That shouldn’t take away from Goff’s success, though, as he is leading one of the NFL’s most fun offenses.
Detroit looks like a team on the rise considering how much young talent they have on their team, and Goff could very well be their long-term answer at quarterback if he continues to play this well. It’s rare to see, but the Rams’ decision to trade Goff for Stafford might actually work out for both teams and fans of either side should be happy with the outcome.
