Jared Goff experienced a range of adventures during his time in Los Angeles. From being the No. 1 overall choice to fight to get out of the gate under Jeff Fisher to being a Pro Bowler in Year 2 with Sean McVay to lead the Rams to a Super Bowl, then back into the abyss as the scapegoat for how he fell back to earth in the past two seasons.
In a lengthy conversation with Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times, Goff opened up about how his deal for Detroit ended in exchange for QB Matthew Stafford.
“As a defender, as the guy who is probably in the most important position in the field, if you are in a place that is not wanted and they want to leave you, the feeling is mutual,” Goff told Farmer. “You don’t want to be in the wrong place. It became increasingly clear that this was the case. [The trade] is something that I hope will be very good for my career. “
Goff spent his first five seasons in LA, after the Rams negotiated a boat full of draft picks to choose Cal. They negotiated a lot to get rid of Goff too, sending him two first-round choices and a third round for the Lions.
“I really enjoyed my time here,” said Goff. “I want to leave this on a positive note. Obviously, the ending was not favorable and it was not fun. But they put me in first place overall and brought me to a city that hadn’t had a football team in a long time, being part of of this reconstruction after 2016, being able to help bring Los Angeles football back to prominence, all of those things that I am extremely proud of. It is something I will always remember. “
Goff’s time in LA was highlighted by very high heights – overcoming the Kansas City Chiefs in a very high air strike in a 2018 case; winning two playoff games to reach the Super Bowl – and some low points that culminated in the exchange outside the city.
“Regardless of how it ended, Sean and I had a great relationship and did so many good things together,” said Goff. “He won several important games. He won several playoff games. He won two divisions together. I was so successful in the attack, so many good moments and memories.
“Unfortunately it ended bitterly, but it still doesn’t diminish all those times we had.”
That bitter ending included playing with a thumb injury sustained at the end of the season that required surgery to bring him back into the playoffs. Goff fought precisely before and after the injury, mostly under pressure, but the QB was not the main reason Rams was eliminated from the playoffs with a defeat at Green Bay.
LA, however, saw a chance to improve the position and cancel Goff’s contract. After weeks of hinting their dissatisfaction with Goff’s trajectory, the Rams’ bosses made a bold move. History will judge whether it was right.
Echoing his comments to NFL.com’s Mike Silver, the day after the exchange report, QB is excited for the next page of his journey in a new city.
“(Talking to the Lions) was what made me say, ‘My God, this is how it should be,” said Goff. “‘It makes me feel great’, how excited they were, how excited they were.”