Breaking Down Everything Involved in Lions-Rams Blockbuster Trade

Back in January 2021, the Los Angeles Rams pulled off a monster trade for Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford, while sending Jared Goff in the opposite direction.

The Rams have gone on to win a Super Bowl where as the Lions have been able to rebuild their franchise with Goff under center. Three years on and the two now meet in the 2023 NFL playoffs. But, how did the trade come about?

Why Did the Matthew Stafford-Jared Goff Trade Happen?

Before the trade occurred, it had been rumored that despite all the mutual respect between the Lions and their quarterback, Stafford had requested a trade.

He told the Free Press in 2021 that he had spoken to his wife, Kelly, about leaving early in 2020. “Anytime you switch GMs and a head coach, you know that they’re going to want to bring their own people in,” Stafford said regarding why he requested a trade.

“That’s going to take time. And I, frankly, didn’t feel like I was the appropriate person to oversee that time.”

Stafford has always let it be known how much he loves and appreciates the Lions and the city of Detroit, but he acknowledged that if he was going to win anything in his career, he would need to seek other opportunities.

Speaking to the media before the Ram-Lions’ playoff clash, Stafford said, “I understand what the people of Detroit and what the city of Detroit meant to me and my time and my career, what they meant to my family, I hope they feel that back.”

Stafford had spent 12 years in Detroit after being drafted as the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He threw for 45,109 yards and 282 touchdowns across this span in Motor City, becoming the most statistically successful QB in the franchise’s history.

Given the respect, the Lions agreed to discuss trade talks. Detroit hadn’t won a playoff game since 1992 and were on the slide. Whereas the Rams were heading in the opposite direction.

Los Angeles had entered win-now mode and knew that they needed an upgrade over Goff in order to succeed. LA had already made one Super Bowl with Goff, which they lost to the Patriots. Following the run, Goff needed to be paid. Spotrac shows that Goff signed a four-year, $134 million contract with $110 million guaranteed.

In hindsight, the Rams regret giving Goff such a big contract. Yet, teams rarely let quarterbacks who have taken them to a Super Bowl out of the building. But over the 2020 season, McVay had become increasingly frustrated with Goff, who wasn’t able to take the Rams to the next level.

Goff-Stafford Trade Details

It became clear that the Rams were going to explore their option at the position, but the sticking point was the contract. Who would want to take a QB who was viewed as average on a huge deal?

This is where the Lions entered the conversation as a collision of circumstances led to the deal.

Stafford had handed in his transfer request and was armed with a no-trade clause in his contract, which meant he got to pick which team he would be traded to. And with enough cap space, Detroit would be able to take on Goff’s contract but would want to be compensated for it.

The agreement was to send Goff, along with two first-round picks, to Detroit in exchange for Stafford and a shot at glory.

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)

Rams received:

Since the trade happened the numbers between the two QBs have been eerily similar. Stafford has thrown for 10,938 and 75 touchdowns, while Goff has thrown for 12,258 yards and 78 touchdowns.

Despite Goff throwing for more yards and touchdowns since the move, it wouldn’t be fair to judge the trade based solely on those numbers.

To start with, the Rams traded for Stafford in an attempt to win a Super Bowl, which they achieved, defeating the Bengals 23-20 in Super Bowl LVI. Furthermore, he continues to look like one of the top QBs in the NFL.

MORE: Rams vs. Lions Predictions and Expert Picks for the Wild Card Round

Whereas under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Goff has overperformed. For however good Goff has been, there remain questions about how far he can take Detroit. It’s a tag he never seems to be able to shrug off.

Want to predict the results of the 2023 NFL postseason with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? How about looking into in-depth breakdowns of team depth charts or the NFL playoff schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with all that and more!