It’s finally time to say what most NFL fans—and especially Detroit Lions fans—already know: the Los Angeles Rams gave up on Jared Goff too soon.
Yes, the Rams won a Super Bowl after swapping Goff for Matthew Stafford, and no one is taking that away from them. But in the rush to crown the trade a one-sided win, a lot of people missed what Goff really was—and what he’s become.
Goff wasn’t broken. He was mishandled.
In L.A., he was made the scapegoat for an offense that had grown stale. Head coach Sean McVay’s scheme began to stall, and instead of adapting, the team placed the blame squarely on the quarterback. Goff, who had taken the Rams to a Super Bowl just two seasons earlier, suddenly became expendable.
Enter Detroit, where Goff was seen as a bridge. A temporary placeholder. Someone who’d keep the seat warm while the rebuild took shape. But Goff had other plans. He got to work, earned the respect of teammates, and proved he could do more than just manage games—he could win them.
Fast forward to 2025, and the Lions are contenders. Goff has thrived under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, putting up top-tier numbers while becoming a locker room leader. He’s outperformed expectations, silenced doubters, and helped shift the culture in Detroit from underdog to alpha.
Meanwhile, the Rams are resetting again, trying to climb back to consistency in a stacked NFC.
So yes, the Rams won the battle by hoisting a Lombardi Trophy in 2022. But the Lions may be winning the war—with a quarterback who never should’ve been counted out in the first place.
The truth? Jared Goff was never just a system guy. He’s a franchise guy. And Detroit is where he was always meant to shine.
No More Sugarcoating: The Truth About Jared Goff and the Rams
