DETROIT – The coach of the Rams said Jared Goff deserved to be treated better before he was traded to the Detroit Lions for Matthew Stafford a few years ago.

With the Lions and Rams set to square off in the wildcard round of the playoffs on Sunday night, most of the national and local focus is on Stafford’s return to Detroit. He did spend the first 12 seasons of his career here, after all.

But Goff has some history of his own hanging over this matchup. The Lions’ starting quarterback has admitted the way his time in Los Angeles ended created a chip on his shoulder.

Goff led the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance in 2018, but his offense managed just three points and 260 yards in a loss to the New England Patriots. Goff completed 19 of 38 attempts for 229 yards and an interception.

The next two seasons weren’t quite as successful for the Rams, as they missed the postseason in 2019 and got eliminated in the divisional round in 2020. Goff went 21 of 27 for 174 yards and a touchdown in the loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Rams head coach Sean McVay and the front office decided they needed to upgrade at the quarterback position if they wanted to win a Super Bowl. The trade with the Lions was reportedly agreed to just weeks after that final playoff game.

McVay was asked about facing Goff on Sunday night and said he understands why his former quarterback has mixed feelings about his time in Los Angeles.

“Could it have been handled better on my end? Absolutely,” McVay said, according t

o NBC Sports. “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.”