The unpleasant divorce between the Rams and quarterback Jared Goff has been well documented.
But time heals all wounds, as illustrated by Goff telling reporters in Detroit this week that getting traded from the Rams to the Lions “feels like a long time ago,” adding he doesn’t have particular special emotions playing his former team any longer.
Los Angeles’ Sean McVay was asked in his Wednesday press conference what he’s seeing from Goff this season and the head coach was effusive in his praise.
“I see outstanding maturity. I see outstanding growth and ownership,” McVay said, via transcript from the team. “You can see they give him a lot of things at the line of scrimmage like mike-point IDs, calling multiple plays, and getting in and out of the right looks whether that be in the run game or in the pass game, unbelievable accuracy and anticipation. Jared’s played really great.”
But beyond that, McVay noted that he’s been happy to see what Goff has been able to build in Detroit, putting the team on his back.
“I’ve been very open and very clear about [how] I had a lot of growing up to do back when that thing went down,” McVay said. “There were a lot of great memories and a lot of really good ball that he did here that I’ll always cherish.
“I’m truly happy for him. He’s married and has a beautiful little girl now. It’s awesome to see. I think I’m reminded of those things and then you’re also reminded of when you need to be able to grow up and handle things a little bit better. I’ll never run away from that. What I’m grateful for and appreciative of is that he’s got such grace towards me and understanding. I’m happy for Jared.”
Goff’s time with the Lions has now been longer than the time he spent with McVay, as he’s now in his fifth season with Detroit and had four with Los Angeles’ current head coach (plus his rookie year under Jeff Fisher).
In 13 games this season, Goff has completed 70.1 percent of his passes for 3,334 yards with 26 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Lions Clips
Lions quarterback Jared Goff will see his former team on Sunday when he plays against the Rams, but he says at this point it’s old news.
“It feels like a long time ago,” Goff said when asked about being traded from the Rams to the Lions five years ago. “My career now has spent more time here.”
Asked if he feels any special emotions about playing the team that drafted him first overall but then traded him to the Lions for Matthew Stafford and two first-round picks, Goff answered, “No, not so much anymore.”
Goff said the Lions’ playoff win over the Rams after the 2023 season was the last time it really felt meaningful to play against his former team.
“We played them in that playoff game it was such a big deal, the next year it felt like even less, now it’s even further removed,” Goff said.
When reporters started asking him more questions about the Rams, Goff seemed surprised that they were making it a story.
“We’re still talking about it?” Goff asked.
Goff understands that with the Lions fighting for a playoff berth and the Rams currently atop the NFC, it’s a big game on Sunday. Just not any bigger than any other game with playoff implications.
“I’ve got so much respect for those guys, how well they’re playing, how well they’re coached,” Goff said. “We’ve got our hands full, and gotta find a way to win.”
As CBS News undergoes major changes following the acquisition of Paramount by Skydance, the signs are currently pointing to a revamp of the network’s weekday morning show. Which could result in former NFL receiver Nate Burleson leaving the program.
Via Drew Lerner of AwfulAnnouncing.com, a recent report from the New York Post contends that CBS Mornings “will likely be overhauled.” Co-host Tony Dokoupil is exiting the program to host the CBS Evening News, and it’s believed that his will prompt a reset of the show, with both Burleson and Gayle King exiting.
Burleson got the job four years ago, a CBS double-dip that includes his football-season Sundays role on The NFL Today.
The change isn’t expected in the immediate future, but closer in time to the expiration of King’s contract in May 2026.
Burleson, 44, was a third-round pick of the Vikings in 2003. He also played for the Seahawks and Lions in an 11-year NFL career.
The Rams will activate wide receiver Tutu Atwell from injured reserve this week, coach Sean McVay said Wednesday.
Atwell has not played since Oct. 19 when he injured a hamstring, missing six consecutive games.
The Rams had to make a decision on Atwell this week about whether to activate him from injured reserve or let him finish the season on injured reserve.
Atwell signed a $10 million contract in the offseason but has only four catches for 164 yards and a touchdown this season.
The Lions have added a veteran safety.
Detroit has claimed Jalen Mills off of waivers after he was let go by Houston, the club announced on Wednesday.
Mills, 31, appeared in four games for Houston this season with one start. He tallied four total tackles in his 48 defensive snaps and 31 special teams snaps.
A seventh-round pick in the 2016 draft, Mills has played 119 career games with 92 starts for the Eagles, Patriots, Jets, and Texans.
As a corresponding move to get Mills on the roster, the Lions waived tight end Hayden Rucci.
Lions safety Brian Branch had successful surgery to repair his torn Achilles tendon.
Detroit head coach Dan Campbell said today that the report he got after Branch’s surgery was promising, and that Branch should have a typical recovery time for an Achilles injury.
“He’s had it repaired and it sounds like everything went well. They’re always going to give you the whatever — eight to 12 months or whatever that is, from the time of the surgery. But the surgery went well. Everything went well,” Campbell said.
The 2026 regular season starts in about 10 months, so playing in Week One should be a realistic hope for Branch and the Lions.
The Lions got a big bounce-back performance to beat the Cowboys last Thursday night and one of their defensive players has been rewarded for the part he played in it.
Defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad has been named NFC defensive player of the week.
Muhammad had 3.0 sacks in the 44-30 victory, which was the most among any individual player in Week 14.
The veteran Muhammad now has a career-high 9.0 sacks this season, also having registered seven tackles for loss and 16 QB hits in his 13 games.
This is the first time Muhammad has won a player of the week award.
The Lions will be on the road to face the Rams in Week 15.
Cornerback Arthur Maulet is back on the Lions’ roster.
The team announced Maulet’s signing on Tuesday afternoon. Maulet was waived by the team in late November.
Maulet appeared in six games before being let go. He had 14 tackles and an interception in those games. He has also appeared in 85 games for the Ravens, Steelers, Jets, Colts, and Saints.
The veteran’s return adds to the depth in the Lions’ secondary. They lost safety Brian Branch to a torn Achilles last Thursday and are also dealing with injuries to Kerby Joseph and Thomas Harper.
The Lions waived tight end Ross Dwelley in a corresponding move. Dwelley had two catches for 11 yards in 11 games for the Lions this season.
Fresh from a record-setting pair of Thanksgiving games, it seemed possible that Thursday’s high stakes Cowboys-Lions game would set the audience record for streaming.
It didn’t.
The good news is that the 19.39 million average viewership set a record for Thursday night streaming on Prime Video. Still, they’ve got to be disappointed that it didn’t get to 20 million.
The Cowboys are the Cowboys, and the Lions have emerged as a national draw over the past three seasons.
The next opportunity to get to 20 million comes in nine days, when the 10-3 Seahawks host the 10-3 Rams in a game that could determine both the NFC West crown and the No. 1 seed in the conference.
Meanwhile, the streaming record of 24.3 million from Ravens-Texans on Christmas 2024 still stands. Given the two Netflix games set for December 25 this year (Cowboys-Commanders, Lions-Vikings), it’s unlikely that there will be a new high-water mark for streaming in 2025.
And with the Chiefs fading, the Prime Video game on Christmas night between Denver and Kansas City probably won’t get there, either.
The Lions lost Brian Branch for the season when he tore his Achilles in last Thursday’s win over the Cowboys, but head coach Dan Campbell said on Monday that the team feels like they are still well stocked at safety.
Branch’s injury comes at a time when Kerby Joseph is recovering from a knee injury and Thomas Harper is in the concussion protocol, but Campbell said at his press conference that they plan to get Joseph “some reps in practice” this week as he tries to play for the first time since Week 6. Campbell also praised Avonte Maddox’s play at the position and named Daniel Thomas, Erick Hallett, and Damontae Kazee as others who make him feel comfortable about who is available.
“We’re good, man. . . . We got options here, but it’s like anything — you lose a good player, it hurts,” Campbell said. “But it’s not like we’re in dire straits.”
Wednesday’s practice report will bring updates about Joseph and Harper that will give a better idea of what the safety group will look like against the Rams this week.
