In March 2021, Jared Goff was traded to the Detroit Lions from the Los Angeles Rams for quarterback Matthew Stafford, as well as a handful of Rams draft picks. Now, a new interview with former Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald is shedding new light on why the Rams traded Goff.
The Rams ‘Weren’t Willing to Wait’ for a Young Jared Goff to Develop
Donald appeared on the 25/10 show on August 29 and discussed the Goff trade.
“Not saying that Jared Goff wasn’t that guy,” Donald said. “I think he was just younger, and they weren’t willing to wait for the development process with him. They were more trying to win now. I think adding a veteran guy that had been around a long time, that had played with some great football players, played some great football a long time, bring him to a team with the pieces to get it done. That was a big help for us.”
Donald also said that he believes Goff is in a great place right now and sees him flourishing in the Motor City under head coach Dan Campbell and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
“Everything happened for a reason,” Donald said. “I think Jared Goff is in a great position right now where he’s playing some good football, becoming that veteran presence, becoming that household name, getting his team where it needs to be.”
Stafford went on to win a Super Bowl with the Rams during the 2021-22 season. Goff helped lead the Lions to their first NFC championship game in 30 years during the 2023-24 season.
Jared Goff Is the ‘Right Guy’ for Detroit
Goff got an endorsement from Lions general manager Brad Holmes during a press conference on August 29. Over the offseason, the Lions gave Goff a four-year contract extension worth more than $200 million, with $170 million guaranteed. When asked about the deal, Holmes said Goff was simply the “right guy” for the Lions.
“Oh, yeah. He’s the right guy. He’s the right leader for us,” Holmes said. “He didn’t need a contract to go out there and do what he does on the field. He truly earned that, and I have not seen a change in him. If anything, it’s just been better, just because it’s another year of the continuity. I give Dan (Campbell) a lot of credit in terms of the continuity that he’s had with the coaching staff. That’s obviously helped, and you know, we have a lot of familiar faces along with that, too.”
He added regarding Goff’s new contract, “So, I see it being even better. It’s been amazing to see his growth as a player ever since our days back with the Rams with him. But, yeah, I’m not going to say that he needed the contract to elevate him. He was already elevated at a high level. But, I do think it’s going to be better for all the other things…the market is going to change every single day. You don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, so I’ve always felt, we’ve always felt, the earlier, the better for everybody.”
