Jared Goff

Atlanta Falcons running back Todd Gurley expects to see former teammate Jared Goff rebound following his trade to the Detroit Lions.

During an appearance Wednesday on NFL Network, Gurley said he's happy Goff will "be able to go somewhere and hopefully those guys welcome him with open arms and just not be judgmental and just let him play":

"He's been a No. 1 pick for a reason, and he has a lot of ball left in him. I just want him to be happy, and I just want him to be able to go out there.

"It could be a good thing for him, you know? Just add an extra chip on your shoulder. A lot of players like to play with chips on their shoulder, but it's a lot different when you're a franchise quarterback and you take your team to the Super Bowl and two years later you're on a whole other team. Like I told him, man, love him, just want him to be happy and keep doing what you're doing."

Los Angeles clearly soured on Goff. His performance steadily regressed following his two straight Pro Bowl appearances in 2017 and '18, making his four-year, $134 million extension an albatross on the team's payroll.

It almost feels like some are already writing obituaries for Goff's NFL career when he only turned 26 last October.

There's no getting around how bad he was in 2020. He finished with 3,952 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, while his 7.2 yards per attempt were more than a full yard lower than his breakout 2018 campaign (8.4).

If Goff couldn't make it work with Sean McVay—somebody who already has a coaching tree at age 35 because of his offensive expertise—then it doesn't bode well for his future. This isn't exactly a great time to join the Lions either.

Still, Goff told the Los Angeles Times' Sam Farmer on Tuesday how it "became increasingly clear" the Rams were the wrong place for him. He needs a fresh start, and he'll likely carry a massive chip on his shoulder to prove McVay and general manager Les Snead wrong.    

New Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff thanked the Los Angeles Rams organization, the city of Los Angeles and Rams fans in a tweet Wednesday.

Goff expressed gratitude for his time in L.A. and excitement regarding the next chapter of his NFL career:

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported last week that the Rams agreed to trade Goff, first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 and a third-round pick in 2021 to the Lions for veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford.

While the trade cannot become official until the new league year starts March 17, Goff will don new colors next season for the first time in his six-year NFL career.

Goff was selected No. 1 overall in the 2016 NFL draft out of Cal, and although he looked lost and overmatched at times during his rookie season, things turned around in 2017 thanks to the hiring of Sean McVay as head coach.

With McVay at the helm, Goff turned in Pro Bowl seasons in both 2017 and 2018, and he led the Rams to the Super Bowl in the 2018 season, although they fell short in a loss to the New England Patriots.

After throwing a combined 60 touchdown passes in 2017 and 2018, Goff fell off in 2019 with just 22 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. His play was erratic again this season, throwing for 3,952 yards, 20 touchdowns and 13 picks.

Goff did manage to lead the Rams to the playoffs this season, and despite dealing with a broken thumb on his throwing hand, he replaced the injured John Wolford in the NFC Wild Card Round playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks and helped L.A. advance to the next round, where it fell to the Green Bay Packers.

Goff's tenure in Los Angeles was far from perfect, but he took the Rams to a Super Bowl and won three playoff games, which is no small feat.

He will have his work cut out for him in Detroit, but given what he was able to accomplish during his time with the Rams, Goff has a chance to prove some pundits wrong and show that he is still a capable starting quarterback in the NFL.  

Jared Goff isn't going to let the trade that sent him from the Los Angeles Rams to the Detroit Lions spoil his memories with the NFC West team, per Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times:

"I really enjoyed my time here. 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."

However, he suggested there were somewhat mutual feelings about his future as he was traded away. 

"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," he said.

The Rams traded Goff, two future first-round picks and a third-round selection to the Lions for Matthew Stafford, which clearly signaled they believe the latter is more likely to take advantage of their win-now window than the No. 1 overall pick of the 2016 NFL draft.

Los Angeles has a stellar defense that led the league in both fewest yards and points allowed in 2020. Stafford will also have Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp to throw to and could lead the team to the Super Bowl if he lives up to expectations.

Still, Goff accomplished plenty in his four full seasons as a starter with the Rams.

He was a two-time Pro Bowler who led the Rams to the playoffs three times and the Super Bowl once. Prior to drafting Goff, the franchise failed to make the playoffs at all from 2005 through 2016.

However, consistency became an issue, especially when he failed to throw for 200 yards in either of the team's playoff games this season. He also had only 20 touchdown throws to 13 interceptions during the regular season, as the team relied on its strong defense to guide it to the playoffs.

Unfortunately for Goff, the Lions are not as well equipped to compete in the immediate future.

They missed the playoffs in each of the last four years and will not have Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey on defense to give the offense a cushion. That will put more of the pressure on Goff as he looks to bounce back from a mediocre season.

The Los Angeles Rams "made a run at Aaron Rodgers, and the Packers were adamant that they weren't trading him," according to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times.

Farmer also said Houston Texans star quarterback Deshaun Watson was "out of their price range."

The Rams ultimately traded Jared Goff, two first-round picks (2022, 2023) and a third-rounder (2021) for Matthew Stafford.

Rodgers, 37, made waves with some comments about his future after the Packers lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Championship Game.

"[The Packers have] a lot of guys' futures that are uncertain—myself included," he told reporters. "That's what's sad about it, most, getting this far. Obviously, it's going to be an end at some point, whether we make it past this one or not, but just the uncertainty's tough and finality of it all."

He added: "There's a lot of unknowns going into this offseason now. I'm going to have to take some time away, for sure, and clear my head and just kind of see what's going on with everything. But it's pretty tough right now, especially thinking about the guys that may or may not be here next year. There's always change. That's the only constant in this business."

That led to speculation that Rodgers could end up on the trade block, though that talk was quickly shot down.

"I'll say this, there's no way in heck that Aaron is not going to be on the Packers," team president Mark Murphy said on WTAQ-WNFL last week, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN. "I mean, he is going to be the MVP of the league. He might have had his best year ever. He's our unquestioned leader, and, you know, we're not idiots."

Rodgers also put his comments into more context on The Pat McAfee Show:

It never seemed all that likely that the Packers would seriously entertain trading Rodgers after a brilliant 2020 season that saw him throw for 4,299 yards, 48 touchdowns and just five interceptions, completing 70.7 percent of his passes. It was an absurd level of play, even if the team's inability to reach the Super Bowl put a damper on what is likely to be Rodgers' third MVP selection.

The Rams can't be blamed for at least checking with the Packers to see if Rodgers might be available in an effort to improve upon Goff. Ultimately, they went with a different NFC North quarterback in Stafford.

Jared Goff will reportedly be traded to the Detroit Lions in the deal sending Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams, but according to Peter Schrager of Fox Sports, "multiple teams" made calls to the Rams to inquire about Goff.

Per that report, "This wasn't some throw-in. The Lions wanted him. He had a market. Around [the] NFL, Goff is regarded well."

Goff doesn't seem to be particularly shaken up about the trade.

"I'm just excited to be somewhere that I know wants me and appreciates me," he told Michael Silver of NFL Network.

Things soured quickly between Goff and the Rams. He struggled in 2020, throwing for 3,952 yards, 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 15 games, completing 67 percent of his passes. After combining for 60 touchdowns and 19 interceptions between the 2017 and 2018 seasons, Goff has put up 42 touchdowns and 29 interceptions in the last two. It's fair to argue he's regressed. 

And head coach Sean McVay didn't exactly offer him a vote of confidence after the season, calling him the "quarterback right now" in January and implying the team would have a quarterback competition in 2021 after heading into past seasons with Goff as the unquestioned starter. 

"I'd say, I think as you grow, as you continue to learn, that's just where we're at," McVay told reporters about the possibility of a quarterback competition. "I'm not saying anything other than we're evaluating that right now. I think it's important that you do that at every single spot and no position is excluded from that conversation."

Or as NFL Network's Steve Wyche reported after those comments in January, the relationship between McVay and Goff needed "marriage counseling." Instead, they got a divorce. 

It was a costly one. The Rams reportedly are giving up Goff, two first-round picks (2022, 2023) and a 2021 third-round pick in exchange for Stafford. Essentially, the Rams paid a premium to not only upgrade over Goff but to also get out from under his substantial contract. 

The Lions, meanwhile, will hope a change of scenery can return Goff to the Pro Bowl form he showcased in 2017 and '18. He already led the Rams to a Super Bowl berth in 2018, though questions remain about just how much McVay—and Todd Gurley, who posted elite numbers for the Rams in Goff's Pro Bowl seasons and was one of the NFL's best offensive weapons before injuries slowed him down—contributed to the quarterback's best years.

Jared Goff is looking forward to his future with the Detroit Lions. 

"I'm just excited to be somewhere that I know wants me and appreciates me," the quarterback told Michael Silver.

Goff was traded to Detroit in a package that brought quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams following 12 seasons with the Lions. 

The deal came after both Rams general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay were noncommittal regarding the future of the 26-year-old, who just wrapped up his fifth season in the league—all of which were spent with the franchise.

Goff signed a four-year, $134 million extension after Super Bowl LIII, which had capped two division titles and an NFC championship victory in his first two seasons working with McVay. But this year's Rams capsized, and differences between coach and student became public late this season when John Wolford got the wild-card start over Goff. 

"Moving on from Jared Goff, that's ... the money we've invested in him, that's not easy to overcome," Snead said told reporters, adding that "anything can be done." 

Goff's early-career success has seemingly evaporated. In the pat two seasons, he posted 38 turnovers, ranking second in the NFL, according to ESPN's Michael Rothstein and Lindsey Thiry. But the Lions found him—and a package of picks that includes two future first-rounders—an acceptable return for their all-time leader on every passing-related leaderboard.

In Detroit, he will inherit an offense that ranked 10th in the league in passing with an average of 256.5 yards per game, led by wideout Marvin Jones Jr.'s 978 yards and 723 from tight end T.J. Hockenson. 

Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders took to Twitter on Sunday to thank quarterback Matthew Stafford for his 12-year run with the franchise.

The Lions agreed to trade Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Jared Goff, two first-round picks and a third-round pick Saturday night, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The deal cannot be completed until the new league year begins March 17.

Stafford and the Lions agreed to part ways after meeting following the end of the 2020 season. Detroit reached the playoffs only three times and never won a postseason game during Stafford's tenure with the franchise.

The 2009 No. 1 overall pick nevertheless leaves the Lions as their all-time leader in every major passing category. 

Detroit's failure to build a winning team around Stafford is far from a new phenomenon. The franchise struggled when Sanders was dazzling as the best running back in football during the 1990s and largely wasted the Stafford-Calvin Johnson connection.

The Lions have not won a playoff game since the 1991 season, their only postseason triumph since the AFL-NFL merger. 

Jared Goff told ESPN's Jeff Darlington that Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Goff was in the team's future plans after the quarterback was reportedly acquired from the Los Angeles Rams along with two first-round picks and a third-round pick for Matthew Stafford.

Yet that might not be enough to stop the Lions from drafting another QB this spring.

Likely to take over as the team's No. 1 quarterback heading into training camp, the Cal product still has four years left on his massive $134 million contract and can't trigger his opt-out clause until after the 2022 season. If he declines to do so, he won't be a free agent until 2024.

Since earning back-to-back Pro Bowl nods in 2017 and 2018, Goff passed for 3,952 yards, 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions last season. It was the second consecutive year the quarterback's touchdown passes decreased after he tossed 32 in 2018.

Now the Lions will look to get him back to his All-Star level under Campbell and offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn.

That just won't stop Detroit from preparing to groom another quarterback in the near future.

ESPN's Michael Rothstein and Lindsey Thiry reported his spot on the depth chart isn't necessarily secure:

"A source told ESPN the Lions had interest from seven or eight teams offering first-round picks as compensation for Stafford. Though the deal for Goff won't necessarily preclude the Lions from taking a quarterback in this year's draft, Goff told ESPN's Jeff Darlington on Saturday night that he spoke with new Lions coach Dan Campbell, and that Campbell made clear through his message that Goff is in the Lions' plans for the future."

The Lions list two quarterbacks behind Goff—Chase Daniel and David Blough—but the incoming quarterback class provides a number of prospects worth taking a chance on. Especially with Detroit owning the No. 7 pick this year and only the Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets in need of the quarterback ahead of them.

Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Mac Jones, Kyle Trask and Ian Book are all expected to come off the board relatively early with Lawrence and Fields likely to serve as the top two selections.

It would make plenty of sense for Detroit to add another highly touted passer on a rookie contract if Goff's play continues to trend downward.

With the Lions set to cash in on a number of high-end draft picks over the next few years, finding their quarterback of the future remains a priority.

Goff will be given a chance to prove he's that franchise player, but Detroit may be preparing a backup plan just in case.

The Los Angeles Rams made a quarterback change Saturday after dealing Jared Goff and numerous picks to the Detroit Lions for Matthew Stafford, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Goff was "ready for new start" before the Rams dealt him, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, who followed up with more reporting.

"What I know after reporting Stafford-Rams out the last few days: Stafford wanted this, the chance to maximize talent with McVay Rams determined but knew Goff's deal was only major hurdle. Goff was ready for new start, was railroaded by Rams, eager to remind what he can do."

ESPN's Jeff Darlington spoke with Goff on the record, and the writer relayed some of his remarks.

"Just talked to Jared Goff — he has already spoken to Lions coach Dan Campbell and several other members of the Lions' staff.

"Based on those conversations, they very clearly view him as their starter moving forward. Physical coming soon. Sounds like they're fired up to have him."

The move is a 180-degree turn for the Rams franchise, as Rich Hammond of The Athletic tweeted.

"I still cannot process this," Hammond wrote.

"The Rams went all-in on Jared Goff 17 months ago, a year earlier than they needed to pay him. Publicly raved about him. And now they had to give up an extra first-round pick just to get out of that contract. OK, well, it better work."

Goff signed a four-year, $134 million contract extension in September 2019. The 13-3 Rams had just finished off an NFC-winning season the year before, and Goff had his best year yet with a career-high 8.4 yards per pass attempt and 32 touchdowns.

However, Goff's pass yards per attempt has dipped to 7.2 this year, and he threw 12 fewer touchdowns (albeit missing the season's final regular-season game). He finished 23rd in the NFL in QBR and quarterback rating.

After the season, which saw the Rams go 10-6 and make the divisional round despite finishing 22nd in points per game, neither head coach Sean McVay nor general manager Les Snead would publicly commit to Goff being the team's quarterback.

The Rams ultimately felt compelled to make the change now, in essence gifting the Lions draft picks in exchange for taking on Goff's contract, as ESPN's Lindsey Thiry noted:

L.A. will now look toward Stafford to help the team reach its second Super Bowl in four years, with next year's game at its home field in SoFi Stadium.