Rams' Sean McVay repeats regrets about Lions' Jared Goff

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay revealed ahead of Sunday's wild-card playoff game against the Detroit Lions that he still regrets how things went down regarding the trade of quarterback Jared Goff to Detroit in March 2021. 

"Could it have been handled better on my end? Absolutely," McVay told reporters while speaking about the Goff situation on Wednesday, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "I’ll never run away from that. But the further you get away from it the more you try to grow as a person, as a man, as a leader. He deserved better than the way that it all went down. I’ll acknowledge that. And I think he knows that too. And I’m not afraid to admit to those things, but I think we’re all better being able to look back on those things. And I do have more appreciation for him as time goes on."

A report emerged in January 2021 claiming the relationship between McVay and Goff was "not great," and the Rams ultimately landed Matthew Stafford from the Lions two months later via a transaction that resulted in Goff joining Detroit. 

While McVay and Stafford guided the Rams to a Super Bowl LVI victory in February 2022, the coach acknowledged later that year he wished he handled Goff's departure "better as a leader."

Goff could enjoy a bit of revenge this coming Sunday night. As of late Thursday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Lions as three-point favorites against the 10-7 Rams. 

"He’s done a great job for them," McVay added about Goff's time in Detroit. "They’re one of the top offenses the last couple years." 

Whatever does and/or doesn't happen between the clubs in Detroit on Sunday night, it will be interesting to see if McVay and Goff meet in the middle of the field for a postgame chat before one of them enters a locker room knowing his season has come to an end.