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Todd Gurley Says Jared Goff 'Has a Lot of Ball Left in Him' After Lions Trade
February 3, 2021
Atlanta Falcons running back Todd Gurley expects to see former teammate Jared Goff rebound following his trade to the Detroit Lions.
During an appearance Wednesday on NFL Network, Gurley said he's happy Goff will "be able to go somewhere and hopefully those guys welcome him with open arms and just not be judgmental and just let him play":
"He's been a No. 1 pick for a reason, and he has a lot of ball left in him. I just want him to be happy, and I just want him to be able to go out there.
"It could be a good thing for him, you know? Just add an extra chip on your shoulder. A lot of players like to play with chips on their shoulder, but it's a lot different when you're a franchise quarterback and you take your team to the Super Bowl and two years later you're on a whole other team. Like I told him, man, love him, just want him to be happy and keep doing what you're doing."
Los Angeles clearly soured on Goff. His performance steadily regressed following his two straight Pro Bowl appearances in 2017 and '18, making his four-year, $134 million extension an albatross on the team's payroll.
It almost feels like some are already writing obituaries for Goff's NFL career when he only turned 26 last October.
There's no getting around how bad he was in 2020. He finished with 3,952 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, while his 7.2 yards per attempt were more than a full yard lower than his breakout 2018 campaign (8.4).
If Goff couldn't make it work with Sean McVay—somebody who already has a coaching tree at age 35 because of his offensive expertise—then it doesn't bode well for his future. This isn't exactly a great time to join the Lions either.
Still, Goff told the Los Angeles Times' Sam Farmer on Tuesday how it "became increasingly clear" the Rams were the wrong place for him. He needs a fresh start, and he'll likely carry a massive chip on his shoulder to prove McVay and general manager Les Snead wrong.