Jared Goff discusses Rams stint, criticizes NFL's impatience with QB development

To say the Detroit Lions were a franchise with a losing track record would be putting it kindly. For the better part of 66 years, the Lions boomeranged between ridicule and disregard. The Lions had just one playoff win since 1957, and even that was 32 years ago. On the rare occasion they made it to the postseason, they were swatted away in the opening round. The downtrodden franchise had been relegated to afternoon programming and became the butt of late-night jokes.

Barry Sanders, Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson, and countless others vowed to "Restore the Roar" in the Pontiac Silverdome or Ford Field. They all came up short. After all of those players, it's hard to believe that it was Jared Goff, the discarded quarterback, who deftly navigated the stagnant franchise through a challenging season and brought it roaring back to the playoffs.

Goff arrived in Detroit as a part of a trade package for Stafford, who had given up hope on Detroit's chances of winning a Super Bowl. Goff was meant to be a stopgap, an unwanted toy that the Rams cast aside to make space for a better version. Three years later, Goff is the unquestioned quarterback in the Motor City. In 2023, Goff was slinging passes, conjuring wins, and looking dauntless as ever — the only difference was his uniform.

The 2024 NFL Draft is expected to begin with three or more consecutive quarterback selections, including two Heisman Trophy winners, one of whom is viewed as a generational talent. Although five or six quarterbacks may be drafted in the first round, history suggests that most of them will fail. Organizational instability, poor coaching, and the politics of football often result in an underdeveloped quarterback being rushed onto the field.

Goff was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, but his path to success was not an easy one. While Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud seemed far more developed than most rookies, it can take other quarterbacks some time to learn the nuances of the game.

Jared Goff discusses challenges that await for rookie quarterbacks

Goff, who was drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams, understands the pressures and challenges of transitioning to the professional level.

During an appearance on FanSided's "Stacking the Box" podcast with Sterling Holmes, Goff shared his thoughts on the transition and obstacles that await the quarterback prospects.

"It's never easy," Goff said. "It's hard. It's the next step for these guys and that's why it's so impressive when these rookies are able to play at such a high level ... And I think you know, at the quarterback position, it's even harder."

Despite the organizational instability and coaching changes surrounding him, fans wanted to see immediate results from a player drafted with the No. 1 overall pick. Goff was declared a bust after he posted a disappointing 0-7 record as a starter in his rookie campaign.

"It was difficult for me," Goff said. "It was a long season, we went 4-12, I went 0-7 [as the starter], so that was no fun. Thankfully, I'm eight years away from that now so I don’t think about it very much."

The following year, Goff flourished under new head coach Sean McVay. He made the Pro Bowl in two consecutive seasons and helped guide the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance in his third season.

For a quarterback, decision-making begins before the snap. It begins before getting in the huddle, and even before game day. It begins in the film room, with hours of tape, monotonously studying the nuances and subtleties of a defense. To adjust to the speed and complexity of professional football, young quarterbacks need something that fans have been unwilling to give: time.

"I think the patience thing — especially with quarterbacks — has become an issue over the last [several] years," Goff said. "At one point, I was called a bust, and now I’m here, eight years later, still playing. … But yeah, it is sometimes a lack of patience [going] on all over the place."

It’s counterintuitive, but the league has always had a problem with patience. Far too often, quarterbacks are given a short leash. They must produce results, or fans will start booing and pressuring owners to burn everything down and start over. NFL coaches are more focused on short-term job retention than long-term player development.

Gone are the days when quarterbacks would be relegated to the bench for their rookie season. College stars are expected to start immediately and single-handedly save failing franchises. They are thrust right into the spotlight, and at first glance, it looks like a no-lose situation for everyone involved. Fans are excited to see their electrifying rookie quarterbacks on the field, owners are pleased with the revenue, and coaches keep their jobs. That is, of course, until the quarterback's development and confidence become stunted by constant mishaps that result in bad habits and injuries.

When asked about traits that transfer to the professional level, Goff mostly listed intangible qualities. It can take time to adjust to new playbooks and schemes.

"I would say maturity, the ability to communicate soundly with a variety of teammates, [and] accuracy is always going to transfer over," Goff said. "Things that may not transfer over? Arm strength doesn't totally matter. Obviously, the offenses are a little bit different, so those may not transfer over."

After being traded to Detroit, Goff spent the past three years learning the game and maturing under head coach Dan Campbell.

Most quarterbacks aren't given the patience to develop. Goff found it in Detroit. He rewarded the Lions for their patience by presenting them their first home playoff game at Ford Field. A team that couldn't dream of a playoff win was suddenly thirty minutes away from the Super Bowl.

They didn't make it there last year, but that's not a failure. Teams do not arrive in the Super Bowl after wandering aimlessly in the wasteland. Typically, the drums begin banging years in advance. It's safe to say that Goff has the drums banging in Detroit, perhaps for the first time ever.

Jared Goff is surprising Lions fans in Detroit at an event with Jared Jewelers. Goff and Jared Jewelers also presented $50,000 to Detroit-based nonprofit, Give Merit. Goff continues to support their FATE program, which helps kids graduate high school and college on time. In addition, three Detroit Lions superfans will receive a special “thank you” surprise and recognition by Jared Jewelry and Jared Goff for their long standing loyalty.