The Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams completed one of the most impactful trades in NFL history.
While the Lions seemingly got the lesser quarterback in Jared Goff, they still got a No. 1 overall pick and a great haul in return for Matthew Stafford before the 2021 season.
Fast forward to today, and neither team seems to have any regrets.
The Rams went on to win the Super Bowl right away and have stayed competitive with Stafford, even if he likely won’t be playing much longer.
The Lions, on the other hand, got pieces they needed to build a winning team, including a franchise quarterback.
This was one of the few instances when both teams won the trade, and the QBs are now in a prime position to pass one another in their former team’s history books.
“Matthew Stafford is on pace to pass Jared Goff in career wins by a Rams quarterback as early as this season. Jared Goff, meanwhile, is also on pace to pass Matthew Stafford in career wins by a Lions quarterback as early as 2027,” Brett Kollmann wrote on X.
Matthew Stafford is on pace to pass Jared Goff in career wins by a Rams quarterback as early as this season.
Jared Goff, meanwhile, is also on pace to pass Matthew Stafford in career wins by a Lions quarterback as early as 2027.
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) October 9, 2025
Of course, one could argue that the team with the Super Bowl title got the best of the deal, but it’s not like the Lions’ championship window will close any time soon.
Goff has been very good since the trade, changing the course of his career after he looked like the Rams’ weakest link.
As for Stafford, he finally got a chance to play for a winning team, years after putting up big numbers for what was one of the worst franchises in pro sports.
It’s hard to think of a more balanced trade than this, and it changed the history of both teams.
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