There was a time not too long ago when Jared Goff seemed destined to be the future of the Los Angeles Rams.

After a rough start under Jeff Fisher, Goff teamed up with Sean McVay, the NFL’s youngest head coach at the time, and delivered the best performances of his career. But after falling short in the Super Bowl in early 2019, things began to unravel in LA. Eventually, the Rams made the surprising decision to send Goff to the Detroit Lions along with draft picks in exchange for Matthew Stafford.

The rest, as they say, is history. The Rams won a Super Bowl, the Lions nearly reached one, and both teams seem satisfied with how things turned out.

Speaking on the Fitz & Whit Podcast, McVay reflected on the trade and admitted that, in hindsight, he could have done more to help Goff succeed, accepting responsibility for how things played out.

“When I look back at the Jared Goff situation, I could have handled it better. I could have communicated more clearly and managed things differently,” McVay said.

“You never know how these things will go, but looking back, I know I had some maturing to do. I could have supported Jared better. He deserved more respect and better communication from me in how everything was handled. That was on me, and as I’ve learned from my mistakes, I’ve tried to improve my clarity in communication.”

As a young head coach, McVay was often praised as a genius early in his tenure with the Rams. Because of that, he may not have been fully equipped to guide a young quarterback making the leap from a smaller college program to the NFL. He might have adjusted his scheme to help Goff transition or incorporated more of his college playbook to make things smoother.

Is Goff a flawless quarterback? No, he isn’t. Even now, as the clear franchise leader in Detroit, he still has occasional games that leave fans puzzled. However,

Goff has shown he’s coachable and continues to improve year after year. If McVay had taken a more gradual approach with Goff, who knows? The Rams might not be searching for their next quarterback this offseason, regardless of Stafford’s future.