On Jan. 31, 2021, the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams completed a trade that would shake up the NFL, causing immediate ramifications across the football landscape. The Lions sent franchise QB Matthew Stafford to the Rams for QB Jared Goff and several draft picks.
Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford Trade Details
Why would Detroit trade Stafford? He was the Lions’ franchise headliner for a decade, but Detroit was never able to build a winner around him. According to ESPN, Stafford told the Free Press that he and his wife, Kelly, started having conversations about the possibility of leaving Detroit before the 2020 season if there was a regime change.
“It was one of those things where, you know, we were hoping that — golly, let’s go, I hope this thing takes off and we play great,” Stafford said. “But if it doesn’t, you just knew what was going to happen. They were going to tear it down and rebuild.”
Los Angeles appeared to be Stafford’s first choice, and the veteran signal-caller got his wish. The Lions may have been able to strike a better deal elsewhere, but they did right by their former franchise QB.
Years later, and after the draft capital is spent, let’s look back at the Goff/Stafford trade.
The Lions received:
- QB Jared Goff
- CB Ifeatu Melifonwu (2021 third-round pick)
- WR Jameson Williams (2022 first-round pick)
- DL Josh Paschal (2022 second-round pick)
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs (2023 first-round pick)
- TE Sam LaPorta (2023 second-round pick)
- DT Brodric Martin (2023 third-round pick)
The Rams received:
- QB Matthew Stafford
Stafford was the marquee name in the trade. However, as time has passed, the repercussions of the move continue to prove invaluable to the Lions. Thanks to a number of trade-backs with acquired draft capital
In addition to Jared Goff, Detroit was able to use their added draft capital to bring in names such as Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Who Won the Goff/Stafford Trade?
The Rams were the immediate winners in this trade because Stafford pushed them over the top. Stafford and the Rams front office hosted the Lombardi Trophy the following year, so it would be hard to argue that they did not win. However, deciding winners and losers of any trade can be an exercise in futility.
Yes, the Rams were the immediate winners, but since the trade, Goff has put up incredible numbers with the Lions, and their offense is in a position to compete long-term. After once being seen as a placeholder, the Lions have actually started discussing long-term contract options for their QB.
“We’ve kept open dialogue with their agents in camp, and I think the transparency has been good, so we’ll see how it goes,” Holmes said via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Goff recently opened up to his teammate, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Chicago Bears receiver Equanimeous St. Brown about how the trade affected him two years later.
“It was definitely a hard time because I wasn’t aware that it could be a possibility and something (the front office) was thinking about.” Goff said during The 33rd Team podcast. “I wish there would’ve been some conversations that weren’t had. It was confusing and difficult on and off the field.”
Goff explained that he saw the trade “as a great opportunity to start somewhere near the ground and spearhead the buildup.” A sentiment that made sense considering the state of the franchise when he took over.
In his second season with the team, Goff started every game and completed 65.1% of his passes for 4,438 yards and 29 touchdowns. Now, in 2023, he has continued to put his team in a position to win and have them on top of the NFC North.
So, the Rams might have been the short-term winners, but the Lions have set themselves up to be long-term winners of this trade.
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