-
Lindsey ThiryESPN
THOUSAND OAKS, California – Sean McVay’s words faded, but not before the Los Angeles Rams coach answered an incisive question about Jared Goff’s status as a Rams defender.
“Yes, he is our quarterback,” McVay said during a Zoom session with reporters, “now.”
That was on Saturday, shortly after the 32-18 loss in the playoffs in the divisional rounds to the Green Bay Packers, which ended the Rams’ season.
On Sunday, during a final video conference with reporters before the off-season break, McVay was asked to clarify his statement.
“Everything is being evaluated,” said McVay. “I’m not ready to make any kind of statement to anyone – starting position or not, we are going to have a level of competition in everything we do.”
McVay emphasized the squad competition throughout his four seasons as a coach, but this is the first time the theme has included the defender.
Four seasons remain with Goff’s $ 110 million guaranteed contract, but on Sunday McVay would not guarantee Goff’s place in the cast in the future.
“We are in a situation where we are in evaluation mode,” said McVay when asked if there was a scenario in which Goff would not be on the list in 2021. “We are moving forward, we are looking forward and I cannot answer any of these questions until I take a step back and evaluate everything that is in the Rams’ best interest. “
The Rams’ attack had an inconsistent performance over a 10-6 season, and the frustration between McVay and Goff grew apparent as the season progressed. Goff, who passed 3,962 yards and 20 touchdowns with 17 spins, drew public criticism from McVay for the first time in his four seasons together after a week 12 loss to division rival San Francisco 49ers, when he had several spins on a 23- 20 defeats.
“Our quarterback has to take better care of football,” said McVay after the game.
With the division title at stake in Week 16, a 20-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Goff went 234 yards with an interception that he said was among the worst moves of his five-year career, but he also deservedly earned credit by completing the game after breaking his thumb at the end of the third quarter.
Goff was operated on a day later, hoping to get back in time for the playoffs.
Reserve John Wolford, a former non-hired free agent, made his first appearance in the NFL at the beginning of Week 17 and helped the Rams to an 18-7 victory.
As the Rams prepared for a rematch against the Seahawks the following week in a wild card playoff, Goff told McVay that he was capable of playing, but McVay opted earlier in the week to name Wolford as a starter while Goff continued to recover.
However, Wolford was forced out in the first quarter against the Seahawks in the wild-card round because of a neck injury, and Goff came in for 155 yards and a touchdown, leading the Rams to a 30-20 win.
After the game, Goff said it was difficult when McVay told him earlier in the week that Wolford was going to start.
“As a competitor, of course I wanted to be there and I wanted to play and I felt I could make a difference,” said Goff. “He’s the coach, he had to make a decision that he needed to make earlier in the week to get ahead of some things. I understand. But as a competitor, it is clear that I wanted to play and was ready to play. “
With Wolford ruled out before the divisional round clash with the Packers, Goff – less than three weeks removed from thumb surgery – started and completed 21 of 27 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown.
“My job is to win the game,” said Goff when asked after the game if he felt any sense of personal fulfillment with his performance. “There is absolutely no moral victory, especially in the playoffs.”
“You really saw a guy who came on the scene. He did what he could, I thought he made a few plays, I thought he saw the field well,” said McVay after the game. “He did a good job today.”