Detroit Lions’ Jared Goff ‘happy, grateful, ready for new opportunity’ after trade

Quarterback Jared Goff says he’s ready to move on following a successful trade that transferred him from the Los Angeles Rams to the Detroit Lions.

“As a quarterback, as a guy who’s arguably the most important position on the pitch, if you’re in a place where you’re not wanted and they want to move on from you, the feeling is mutual, ”Goff told the Los Angeles Times. “You don’t want to be in the wrong place. It has become more and more clear that you are.”

On Saturday, the Rams traded Goff, along with two first-round picks and a third-round pick, to the Lions in exchange for quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Goff, the No.1 pick in the 2016 draft, told the Los Angeles Times he didn’t know when the Rams decided he wasn’t part of their future.

“It’s the hardest part right now trying to figure this out, when did that happen?” Goff said. “These are all conversations that I may or may not have, and try to understand. This is the conversation to have.”

After a season-ending loss to the Green Bay Packers in a divisional playoff game, Rams coach Sean McVay was asked if Goff was the quarterback. “Yeah, he’s our quarterback right now,” McVay said.

Ten days later, Rams general manager Les Snead did not commit to Goff’s long-term future with the team during a video conference, telling reporters, “Jared Goff is a Ram in this. moment. So what’s the date? January 26th. “

Neither the Rams nor the Lions can publicly comment on the trade until it is official at the start of the league’s new year on March 17.

Following McVay’s arrival in 2017, Goff led the Rams to back-to-back division titles, an NFC championship and a Super Bowl LIII appearance, twice earning Pro Bowl recognition.

Ahead of the 2019 season, Goff signed a four-year, $ 134 million extension that guaranteed $ 110 million.

However, the offense regressed in 2019 and continued its downward turn last season despite a 10-6 finish and a playoff victory. Goff finished his last season in Los Angeles passing for 3,952 yards and 20 touchdowns with 13 interceptions.

In four seasons with McVay, Goff racked up 42 wins, tied with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, and only second in that span ahead of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady.

But since 2019, Goff has ranked second in the NFL with 38 turnovers.

Following the exchange, Goff said he got over an initial feeling of disappointment and got excited after connecting with the Lions staff, which includes general manager Brad Holmes, former director of the Rams varsity scouting who had a voice in Goff’s editorial staff.

“You start to feel, I don’t mean ‘relief’ is the word, but you start to feel happy, grateful, ready for a new opportunity,” Goff said. “It was the greatest feeling that came over me that night, and even the following days.”

After playing five seasons in Los Angeles, Goff said he wouldn’t let a disappointing ending tarnish his lasting memories.

“Obviously the ending was not favorable and was not fun,” said Goff. “But they drafted me No. 1 overall and brought me to a city that hasn’t had a football team for a long time, being part of that post-2016 rebuilding that can help bring football back from Los Angeles in the foreground, all of that stuff I’m extremely proud of. It’s something I’ll always remember. “