When the Los Angeles Rams dealt Jared Goff to the Detroit Lions in January 2021, it sent shockwaves through the NFL . But for Goff, the real jolt came from the manner in which it all unfolded. In the latest season of Netflix’s Quarterback , Goff opened up about the abrupt and impersonal way he learned of the trade — a moment that left him stunned and questioning his worth.
Jared Goff gets brutally honest about Rams trade and emotional fallout with Sean McVay
“Three weeks after the last game of the season, get a call from Sean [McVay] and really did not expect anything,” Goff recalled. “He lets me know they’re trading me to Detroit, and I’m like, ‘Whoa, OK, all right. What the hell? What’s happening?’ I would say about 30 seconds after that phone call, it was on Twitter.”
It wasn’t just the news that stung — it was the lack of communication leading up to it. “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.”
That feeling of betrayal still lingers. But instead of crumbling, Goff used it as fuel.
His early days in Detroit were rocky, but he’s since engineered one of the most compelling comeback stories in recent NFL memory. From being discarded by a Super Bowl team to leading the Lions to two straight NFC North titles, Goff’s resurgence has been remarkable.
In 2023, Goff not only ended Detroit’s decades-long playoff victory drought but also eliminated his former team in a poetic postseason showdown. By 2024, he had silenced any remaining critics by putting up career-best numbers — 37 passing touchdowns, a 111.8 passer rating, and leading Detroit to a 15-2 regular season and the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
The trade that was once viewed as a one-sided victory for the Rams — who went on to win a Super Bowl with Matthew Stafford — is now a much more balanced narrative. Goff didn’t just survive in Detroit; he turned a long-struggling franchise into a genuine contender.