At one point, Jared Goff didn’t fully understand how to study game film, prompting Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay to bring in Dan Orlovsky to help the young quarterback learn how to properly analyze tape.

In an interview with The Athletic, former NFL quarterback and current ESPN football analyst Dan Orlovsky explained how McVay hired him specifically to guide Goff through film study techniques when he was still early in his NFL career.

“My final year in the league was 2016,” Orlovsky recalled. “After I finished with Detroit that fall, 2017 came around, and I was in between decisions. That spring, maybe around May, Sean McVay called and asked, ‘Are you retiring?’ I told him, ‘Not sure, Sean.’”

“He followed up saying, ‘I’ve accepted the Rams job. I’ve got a young quarterback, Jared Goff. He’s got talent but doesn’t know how to break down film. I need you to join as our third QB—not to play, but to coach him on tape study and reading defenses.’ I agreed right away.”

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff struggled with the NFL adjustment process, similar to how Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams is facing challenges. A recent report noted Williams also tends to watch film alone and lacks hands-on guidance from his coaching staff.

This brings to mind Goff’s early career in Los Angeles, where he wasn’t initially strong in identifying defensive coverages. When McVay became head coach in Goff’s second year, he had to revamp Goff’s approach to tape and understanding of defensive strategies.

Dan Orlovsky, now at ESPN, played a key part in reshaping Goff’s film habits. He remembered Goff being unfamiliar with even basic defensive fronts, something quarterbacks typically learn by the time they reach high school.

Motivated to grow, Goff built a personal film room at home, signaling his dedication to mastering the mental part of football. Under McVay’s leadership, Goff developed into a Super Bowl starter and found continued success with the Lions.

Now, Caleb Williams faces a similar test, but with Bears coach Ben Johnson—who previously coached Goff in Detroit—there’s hope that Williams can also grow and succeed like Goff did after early struggles.

Johnson’s reputation for detail and quarterback coaching offers a promising environment. If Williams can push past his initial hurdles, he might follow Goff’s path and develop into a high-performing NFL quarterback.