By Moses Joshua 
The Lions quarterback reflects on the shocking 2021 trade that reshaped his career—and his relationship with Sean McVay.
From Franchise Face to Forgotten: Goff Speaks Out
Jared Goff has become the face of Detroit’s football resurgence, helping elevate the Lions from perennial underachievers to legitimate Super Bowl contenders. But despite his success in the Motor City, the quarterback still carries emotional scars from the day his world was turned upside down.
Appearing in the newly released season of Netflix’s Quarterback, Goff pulled back the curtain on the blockbuster 2021 trade that sent him to Detroit in exchange for Matthew Stafford. For the first time in such raw detail, he shared how deeply blindsided he felt—both by the trade itself and by how it was handled.
“Three weeks after the last game of the season, [I] get a call from Sean and really did not expect anything,” Goff revealed. “He lets me know they’re trading me to Detroit and I’m like, ‘Whoa, OK, all right. What the hell? What’s happening?’”
‘You Feel Like You’ve Been Betrayed’
For Goff, it wasn’t just that he was traded—it was how it happened. According to the former No. 1 overall pick, the Rams made the decision without any prior conversation or transparency, something that left a deep sting.
“You feel like you’ve been betrayed, or like, you’re not wanted,” Goff admitted. “And I think for me, ultimately, it was the fact that there was not a conversation had… There was nothing.”
He continued, “You wish that it wasn’t such a blindside and you wish that there was some sort of maturity, I guess, to have that conversation and to be able to let me know what’s going on and how things went down and why this is happening.”
Goff’s words carry the weight of a player who had once helped lead the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance just two years prior to the trade. To go from cornerstone quarterback to afterthought seemingly overnight clearly left an imprint.
Redemption in Honolulu Blue
Since arriving in Detroit, Goff has done more than just survive—he’s thrived. He’s led the Lions to playoff relevance and orchestrated two wins over his former team, including a landmark postseason victory that snapped Detroit’s decades-long playoff drought in 2023.
Ironically, while the Rams walked away with a Super Bowl title in the immediate aftermath of the trade, it’s Goff who now appears poised for long-term success with a team that fully believes in him.
Meanwhile, Sean McVay has publicly acknowledged regret over how the trade was handled. He has admitted that moving quickly without proper communication with Goff was something he would do differently in hindsight.
Moving On, But Not Forgetting
Though Goff has embraced Detroit and the leadership role he’s taken on, the sting of the trade still resonates. His comments make clear that while he’s found a home with the Lions, the door on his Rams chapter didn’t close quietly—it was slammed shut without warning.
“I’ve moved on, obviously,” Goff said in the past. “But you don’t forget how things go down. You remember who gave you a chance… and who didn’t finish the conversation.”
Now with a fresh contract and a team rallying behind him, Jared Goff isn’t just looking back—he’s looking forward, with unfinished business and a city behind him that’s finally ready to roar.