Sean McVay regrets how he handled trade of QB Jared Goff: 'Would I do it differently now? Absolutely'

On March 18, 2021, the Los Angeles Rams traded quarterback Jared Goff and a package of draft picks to the Detroit Lions for QB Matthew Stafford.

Rams head coach Sean McVay has talked in the past about his regret over how the trade went down behind the scenes and how he handled it. On Wednesday, he joined the “Bussin with the Boys” podcast and talked about it once again, but putting more focus on how he used the moment to grow as a head coach.

McVay’s comments stuck out in the interview when he said, “I didn’t handle that the right way. I’m not saying that we would not have made the decision, but the handling of it was exactly the antithesis of how I would hope to handle things moving forward.”

The Rams’ head coach went on to talk about how he didn’t have the courage to bring up this business side of the game with his quarterback. McVay added, “Would I do it differently now? Absolutely. The biggest thing I learned was that the thing he didn’t like the most about it was being caught off guard.”

Goff had just led the Rams to a 10-6 record in the tumultuous 2020 COVID-19 season and previously took Los Angeles to the 2019 Super Bowl against the New England Patriots.

The surprising move paid dividends for both teams, as Stafford immediately led the Rams to a Super Bowl win in his first season.

The Detroit Lions turned the three first-round picks they received along with Goff into running back Jahmyr Gibbs, tight end Sam LaPorta, wide receiver Jameson Williams and three other players.

Detroit also used Goff and company to notch its first playoff win since 1991 in the 2023 season. The Lions then had their first 15-win season in franchise history in 2024, though a Super Bowl is still eluding them.