Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay says he has plenty of admiration for Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff — especially the way he handled the 2021 trade that shipped him from Los Angeles to Detroit.
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With the Rams heading to Detroit on January 14 to face the division-winning Lions in a wild card matchup, McVay opened up about his regret over the deal that shipped Goff away in exchange for quarterback Matthew Stafford. McVay admitted that he could have handled the situation better, and now feels a greater appreciation for Goff.
“I’ll never run away from that. But the further you get away from it, the more that you try to grow as a man, as a person, as the leader that you want to become — he deserved better than the way that it all went down. I’ll acknowledge that,” McVay said, via SI.com. “And I think he knows that, too. And you know, and I’m not afraid to admit those things. But, I think we’re all better, being able to look back on those things. And I do have more appreciation for him as time goes on.”
Jared Goff Took the Blame for L.A.’s Failure
As SI.com’s John Maakaron, the trade led many to blame Goff for the Rams failing to get over the hump and win a Super Bowl. McVay expressed some regret over that perception, saying he felt bad for the way Goff was treated.
“I’ll never run away from that. But the further you get away from it, the more that you try to grow as a man, as a person, as the leader that you want to become — he deserved better than the way that it all went down. I’ll acknowledge that,” McVay said. “And I think he knows that, too. And you know, and I’m not afraid to admit those things. But, I think we’re all better, being able to look back on those things. And I do have more appreciation for him as time goes on.”
The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue noted that McVay “openly and privately lost patience with Goff,” especially the pace of his development. Rodrigue noted that McVay was “enamored of Stafford” and pushed general manager Les Snead to pull off the blockbuster trade.
The trade was a boon for the Rams, who won the Super Bowl in their first year with Stafford at the helm. Goff has also seen a resurgence with the Lions, leading them to a 12-5 record this season and the team’s first division title in three decades.
Jared Goff Still Has ‘Chip’ Over Trade
Goff addressed the trade this week, responding to a reporter who asked whether he still has a chip on his shoulder over the ordeal.
“Of course,” Goff told ESPN. “I think it’ll never leave me, and I think that’s a good thing.”
Goff added that he he still has a lot of admiration for McVay, his coach for the first four years of his career.
“Obviously, we had our differences there at the end, but he’s a great coach,” Goff said of McVay. “He’s a guy that taught me a lot.”
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