This post was originally published on this site.
Detroit Lions Jared Goff on Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery
Jared Goff praised Detroit Lions running backs Jahmyr Gibbs ad David Montgomery after a 44-30 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday.
So, who won the big quarterback trade, the Detroit Lions or Los Angeles Rams?
If you ask one of the quarterbacks involved, the answer is both teams.
Rams quarterback and 2025 NFL MVP candidate Matthew Stafford recently was on the SiriusXM podcast “Let’s Go” with famed sports commentator Jim Gray, who offered that both the Lions and Rams won the 2021 trade that swapped Stafford with current Lions quarterback Jared Goff along with first-round picks and third-rounder. Stafford agreed with the idea.
“Obviously I’m happy to be where I am, and I feel like the Lions obviously have capitalized on a lot of the picks and players that they were able to acquire in that trade,” Stafford said on the podcast published Tuesday, Dec. 9. “Their franchise is as good as it’s been ever in the last handful of years. So two successful teams, really good football coaches, good football programs at the moment. And, yeah, it looks like one that both sides got kind of what they were looking for out of it.”
Gray also asked Stafford about his time in Detroit, which Stafford called “just awesome.”
“I learned so much about myself. I learned so much about NFL football, tough times, getting through things. My entire family, all four of my kids were born there. I still have friends there that I care about. Still know people in the building and think about those people all the time. So, tough decision to leave, to ask to leave, but I love where I am now. I’m having a blast playing football, but I wouldn’t change those 12 years there for anything. I think they’ve made me the player and the person that I am.”
Though Stafford and the Lions kept his trade request to avoid a rebuild secret after the 2020 season, the deal turned out to be one of the most impactful trades in Lions’ franchise history, helping start an unprecedented string of success in Detroit in the Super Bowl era.
The Lions used the draft compensation to move around the draft board, and most notably added receiver Jameson Williams (No. 10 in 2022), running back Jahmyr Gibbs (No. 12 in 2023) and tight end Sam LaPorta (No. 34 in 2023).
[ How Lions kept Matthew Stafford trade request secret in critical time ]
After last facing each other in the season opener Sept. 8, 2024, which ended in a 26-20 Lions overtime win at Ford Field in Detroit, Goff and Stafford will battle once again on Sunday when the Lions visit the Rams for a Week 15 matchup. The Lions (8-5) are desperate for a win with their playoff odds below 50%, while the Rams (10-3) are the current No. 1 seed in the NFC.
Need to catch up on the news during your lunch break? Sign up for our Sports Briefing newsletter to get daily summaries of Detroit sports!
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.