“Our quarterback has to take better care of the football.” Sean McVay couldn’t have been more direct when he called out his quarterback, Jared Goff, after a 23–20 Week 12 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in 2020, a game in which Goff turned the ball over three times. It was the first time McVay publicly criticized him in front of reporters, and the first time he did it in front of players and coaches in the locker room.

That tension, which had been simmering for a couple of seasons, eventually set the stage for a franchise-shifting move: the blockbuster swap of Goff for Matthew Stafford. Goff went to Detroit, Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams. Fast-forward to now, and Goff is set to face his former team on the road in Week 15. And no, he isn’t carrying any lingering resentment toward the Rams.

“No, not so much anymore,” Goff said when asked if it still feels like an emotional change to play his former team. “We played them in that playoff game was such a big deal, and then the next year played them again, and that felt like even less. So, now it’s even further removed, and they’re a really good team, and we’ll have our hands full.”

But the questions didn’t stop here for the Detroit Lions‘ quarterback. When the reporter asked another question about playing against the Rams, Goff quipped, “We’re still talking about this? All right, go ahead.”

There’s no question that Goff’s trade to the Lions just weeks after the Rams’ 2020 divisional-round loss to the Green Bay Packers caught everyone off guard. This was the same quarterback who, under McVay, reached the Super Bowl in his third year and completely rebounded from a rough 0-7 rookie season.

But his play after that Super Bowl run never returned to that level. And by 2020, the issues were too big to ignore. Goff finished that season with 17 turnovers (13 interceptions and 4 lost fumbles). It’s a number far higher than what a win-now team could live with. That’s ultimately what pushed McVay to make a change and pull off the blockbuster move for Stafford. A move that blindsided Goff at that time.

Now Goff is set to face his former team for the fourth time since the trade. They’ve met twice in the regular season and once in the postseason. The Lions’ QB is 1-1 in regular-season matchups and holds that playoff win. Which is exactly why the emotional shock factor is long gone. Goff doesn’t treat these games any differently anymore. As for McVay and the Rams? He’s made it clear he has thoughts on both his former quarterback and the one he has now.

Sean McVay praised Jared Goff, but the Rams’ HC has faith in Matthew Stafford

The 2021 Goff–Stafford trade ended up being a true win-win. Goff hasn’t brought a Super Bowl to Detroit yet, but he’s become an ideal fit for the Lions’ system. Stafford, meanwhile, delivered a championship in his first season with the Rams. And even at 37, he’s still playing at a high level in 2025, enough to put himself right back in the MVP conversation. So when McVay was asked about those MVP talks, he expressed his and his team’s belief in Stafford.

“What is really cool about having Matthew is that, regardless of whether he’s in this conversation or not (MVP), there has been a consistent belief that when that guy’s out quarterback, everybody believes we always have a chance,” McVay said. “…He’s got such great humility, he’s the man at the same time. And that is an incredible way to be able to balance it. But that’s authentic to who Matthew is. And then his play speaks for itself.”

Stafford entered the 2025 offseason with his Rams future still uncertain. But the Rams didn’t blink and reworked his contract. And Stafford delivered. Through 14 weeks, he’s posted 3,354 passing yards and 35 touchdowns. Thanks to that, the Rams are sitting atop the NFC West at 10–3.

Top Stories

Forced to Leave FOX, Cowboys Legend Troy Aikman Says ESPN Is Like ‘U.S. Government’ & Clearly Distinguishes the Two Networks

Cam Newton Reveals Exactly Why 32 NFL Teams Blacklisted Him as Panthers Legend Announces Retirement Status

Former Dallas Cowboys QB Offers to Unretire for Colts With Strong Comments on Philip Rivers

Kansas City Reporter Erupts Against Travis Kelce for Choosing $100 Million Podcast Over Chiefs

Colin Kaepernick’s Wife Questions NFL Logic After Colts Sign 44-Year-Old QB Philip Rivers Over Kap

Along the way, he even broke Tom Brady’s record for most consecutive touchdown passes without an interception, pushing the mark from 27 to 28 straight. That’s exactly why the 37-year-old sits firmly in the MVP race. But McVay knows what’s next: a Week 15 matchup against his former quarterback. And when asked how he feels about Goff four years removed from the trade, McVay had nothing but praise for the Lions’ signal-caller.

“I see outstanding maturity, I see outstanding growth, ownership,” he said. “You can see they give him a lot of things at the line of scrimmage, calling multiple plays, getting in and out of the right looks, whether that be in the run game or in the pass game. Unbelievable accuracy and anticipation, and Jared’s played really great. And I’ve been truly happy to see what he’s done and how he’s really put that team on his back and done such a great job of being able to build.”

Goff is now in his fifth season with the Lions, and the numbers speak for themselves. A 101.8 passer rating, 20,221 yards, 141 touchdowns, and 44 interceptions across 78 games. The only thing missing is a Lombardi. Detroit enters Week 15 at 8–5, trailing the Packers and Chicago Bears. But Goff’s squad is still firmly in the playoff hunt with four games to go. And that push starts with a familiar matchup: A Week 15 showdown against his former team.