When the Los Angeles Rams travel to Detroit, both teams will make history, courtesy of a trade brokered between the two franchises three years ago. When Jared Goff, the Rams’ former first-overall pick was dealt to Detroit for Matthew Stafford, no one could’ve foreseen these two teams meeting in the playoffs years later.
However here we are and since both Goff and Rams’ QB Matthew Stafford are expected to start for their collective teams, it will be the first time in history that both starting QBs would be facing their former team in the playoffs.
What makes this matchup even more interesting is that the quarterbacks are in their respective situations not by chance, but by the choice of their employers.
Looking ahead to Jared Goff facing Matthew Stafford in the first round — there has never been a playoff game in which both starting quarterbacks were facing their former team, let alone a situation in which they were traded for each other.
(H/t @FOXSports research)
— Carmen Vitali (@CarmieV) January 8, 2024
This is not the first time that Goff and Stafford have squared off since the trade. In 2021, the then 7-1 Rams defeated the 0-7 Lions 28-19. Goff went 22-36 with 268 passing yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Stafford went 28-41 for 334 passing yards and three touchdowns.
The Rams’ win over the Lions at SoFi would help propel them to a Super Bowl victory that year. The Lions are 24-19-1 since that game and clinched their first-ever NFC North title this season.