Jared Goff, who was forced to leave the Rams in a matter of seconds, explains how Dan Campbell’s initial phone contact inspired him before the Lions moved.
Jared Goff had spent the first five years of his career in the NFL as the face of the Los Angeles Rams franchise. Drafted by the Rams in 2016 as the No. 1 overall pick, he was expected to be the cornerstone of a new era in Los Angeles football. At first, things didn’t go as planned. His rookie season was a disappointment, filled with growing pains and a coaching staff that couldn’t find its footing. But in 2017, under head coach Sean McVay, Goff’s career took off. He helped lead the Rams to the playoffs for the first time in over a decade, showcasing the potential that had made him the top pick.
Fast forward to the 2020 season, and Goff had not only established himself as the starting quarterback but also as a leader of a promising Rams team. The franchise was a contender, and Goff had a contract extension that locked him in as the centerpiece of the team. But despite the outward signs of success, the relationship between Goff and the Rams organization was fraying. A shocking trade during the offseason would be the catalyst for a massive shift in his career.
The Shocking Trade: A Career Shaken to Its Core
The news came in January 2021 like a thunderbolt from the blue: Jared Goff was traded to the Detroit Lions. In exchange, the Rams sent Goff, two future first-round picks, and a third-round pick to Detroit for quarterback Matthew Stafford. For Goff, this wasn’t just a trade — it felt like a forced departure. He had gone from being the golden boy of the Rams to being unceremoniously shipped out of Los Angeles in favor of a new, more experienced quarterback in Stafford.
The trade was a brutal moment for Goff, one that shook him to his core. He had spent years pouring his heart and soul into the Rams franchise. He had learned and grown under McVay’s tutelage, and he believed that his work had finally paid off with a team poised to make a deep playoff run. But all of that changed in a flash. It wasn’t that Goff was necessarily upset at the Rams for making the move, but it was the suddenness and the manner in which it occurred that left him reeling.
There had been no warning. No indication that the Rams were considering a change at quarterback. The trade came out of nowhere, and Goff was left trying to make sense of the situation. He wasn’t just leaving the team; he was leaving the city he had grown accustomed to, the system that had helped him reach the heights he had attained, and the teammates he had bonded with.
The Uncertainty of Detroit: The Phone Call That Sparked Hope
As Goff sat in the whirlwind of emotions following the trade, one question lingered: What would come next? He was no longer with the Rams, and now he had to join a new team and build new relationships. It’s one thing to be traded to a contender — but to be traded to a team like the Detroit Lions, who had just gone through a brutal few seasons, was another. The Lions were in the midst of a rebuilding project. They hadn’t been to the playoffs since 2016, and their long-suffering fanbase was accustomed to disappointment. Was this the end of his career, or could he find success again in the Motor City?
In the midst of this uncertainty, one phone call stood out to him more than any other. It came from none other than Dan Campbell, the newly hired head coach of the Detroit Lions.
Campbell had been appointed as head coach of the Lions in January 2021, shortly before the trade went through. His arrival in Detroit was met with mixed reactions. While some were excited by his fiery personality and his promise to bring a new culture to the team, others were skeptical. After all, Campbell’s previous coaching stints had been brief, and he had no prior experience as a head coach. But Campbell was known for his passion, his intensity, and his ability to motivate players — qualities that would soon prove essential in Goff’s transition.
The phone call was a simple one, but it would leave a lasting impact on Goff.
“It was the first time I had heard from a coach since the trade, and it was just exactly what I needed,” Goff recalled in an interview. “Dan didn’t sugarcoat anything. He told me that he believed in me, that he thought I was a great quarterback, and that he was excited to have me as the leader of this team. It was honest, it was direct, and it was incredibly motivating.”
Campbell’s phone call was more than just a conversation. It was a reassurance, a reminder that Goff’s journey wasn’t over. While the Rams had moved on, Campbell wasn’t looking at Goff as a player who was on the decline. Instead, he saw him as a player who still had untapped potential. For Goff, this was the moment that reignited his belief in himself.
What made Campbell’s phone call particularly meaningful was that it wasn’t just a scripted sales pitch. Campbell didn’t focus on the past or the circumstances that had led to the trade. Instead, he focused on the present and the future. He saw Goff not as a victim of circumstance, but as a quarterback with the skills and the experience to be successful once again. He emphasized that he believed Goff could thrive in Detroit’s system, and that Campbell’s role would be to put him in the best position to succeed.
“He told me, ‘I don’t care what happened before. You’re here now, and we’re going to make the most of this. We’re going to win together,’” Goff shared. “That was all I needed to hear. I just needed someone to believe in me. That call meant more than people realize.”
For Goff, this phone call was the turning point. It wasn’t just about the reassurance he received; it was the sense of urgency and clarity that Campbell conveyed. He didn’t want Goff to wallow in the past, nor did he want him to feel like he was part of a rebuild without a clear path forward. Campbell made it clear that Goff was a key piece of the Lions’ future, and that they were going to build around him in a way that maximized his strengths.
A Fresh Start: The Lions’ Rebuilding Project
When Goff arrived in Detroit, the landscape was vastly different from what he had known in Los Angeles. The Rams were a team with Super Bowl aspirations, while the Lions were in the early stages of a rebuild. But this shift in scenery didn’t daunt Goff. He was motivated not just by Campbell’s belief in him, but by the desire to prove that he could still be the quarterback he once was. He wasn’t going to be defined by the circumstances of his trade; instead, he was determined to redefine his career on his own terms.
The Lions’ rebuild under Campbell was far from easy. The team faced significant challenges in terms of personnel and performance. The early part of the 2021 season was filled with growing pains, as the Lions struggled to find consistency. But throughout it all, Goff remained the steady presence in the huddle. He wasn’t just a quarterback; he was a leader, helping his team stay focused even when the odds seemed stacked against them.
Campbell’s impact on Goff’s growth was palpable. The relationship between the two grew stronger as the season went on. Goff found himself connecting with Campbell not just as a coach, but as a mentor who believed in his ability to overcome the difficulties of the past. Goff’s confidence grew as the season progressed, and while the wins didn’t always come in 2021, the signs of progress were unmistakable.
Looking Ahead: The Lions’ Future with Goff
As the Lions continue to rebuild and reshape their identity, Jared Goff’s role in the franchise is becoming clearer. He is no longer just a quarterback filling a spot on the depth chart. He is a key piece of the puzzle, a leader who is committed to bringing a winning culture to Detroit. The early struggles are behind him, and with Campbell by his side, Goff is finding success once again.
The phone call that Campbell made to Goff on the day of the trade proved to be more than just a piece of encouragement. It was a declaration of faith in a quarterback who had once been a top pick, and who still had the ability to achieve greatness. Goff’s journey from Los Angeles to Detroit was difficult, but the belief that Campbell instilled in him has made all the difference.
With every game, Goff is proving that he can thrive in Detroit. As the Lions move forward, it’s clear that the relationship between Jared Goff and Dan Campbell will be one of the key factors in the team’s success. For Goff, that initial phone call marked the beginning of a new chapter in his career, one that is full of potential and optimism.