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Lindsey ThiryESPN
THOUSAND OAKS, California – Sean McVay’s words deteriorated, but not before the Los Angeles Rams coach answered a sharp question about Jared Goff’s status as the Rams’ fullback.
“Yes, he’s our quarterback,” McVay said during a Zoom session with reporters, “at the moment.”
It was Saturday, in the immediate aftermath of a 32-18 playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers, that ended the Rams’ season.
On Sunday, during a final video conference with reporters before breaking for the off-season, McVay was asked to clarify his statement.
“Everything is being evaluated,” McVay said. “I am not prepared to make any statements regarding anyone – starting position or not, we will have some competition over everything we do.”
McVay has focused on the league during his four seasons as coach, but this is the first time quarterback has included the theme.
Four seasons remain on Goff’s $ 110 million guaranteed contract, but on Sunday McVay cannot guarantee Goff’s place on the roster.
“We are in a situation where we are in evaluation mode,” McVay said when asked if there was a scenario where Goff would not be ranked in 2021. ‘I can not answer any of the questions until I take a step back and evaluate everything that is in the best interests of the Rams. ‘
The Rams’ attack went awry during a 10-6 season, and the frustration between McVay and Goff became apparent over time. Goff, who passed for 3,962 yards and 20 touchdowns with 17 turnovers, criticized McVay for the first time in their four seasons together after a Week 12 loss to division rival San Francisco 49ers, when he scored several times in ‘ a 23- 20 defeat.
“Our quarterback needs to take better care of football,” McVay said after the game.
With a division title at stake in Week 16, a 20-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Goff hit 234 yards with an interception that he said was one of the worst plays of his five-year career. , but he also deserves credit for completing the game after breaking his thumb late in the third quarter.
Goff was operated on a day later with the hope of returning in time for the play-offs.
Rugby John Wolford, a former free agent, made his first NFL appearance in an early Week 17 and helped the Rams to 18-7.
While the Rams were preparing for a wild card playoff game against the Seahawks next week, Goff told McVay he was able to play, but McVay chose early in the week to name Wolford the starter as Goff continues repair.
However, Wolford had to retire in the first quarter against the Seahawks in the game card round due to a neck injury, and Goff passed for 155 yards and a knockout, leading the Rams to a 30-20 victory.
After the game, Goff said it was difficult when McVay would tell Wolford early in the week that Wolford would start.
“As a competitor, of course, I wanted to be out there and play and felt I could make a difference,” Goff said. “He’s the coach, he had to make a decision he had to make early in the week to get ahead of things. I understand that. But as a competitor, of course I wanted to play and I was ready to play.”
With Wolford ruled out before the game against the Packers, Goff – less than three weeks away from thumb surgery – started with 21 or 27 passes for 174 yards and an attack.
“My job is to win the game,” Goff said when asked after the game if he had a sense of personal accomplishment with his performance. “There are absolutely no moral victories, especially not in the playoffs.”
“You really saw a man step in. “He did what he could, I thought he made some plays, and I thought he saw the field well,” McVay said after the game. “He did a good job today.”