Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff
(On how long it seems since his first game as a rookie on Monday Night Football in 2016)
“Yeah, it does feel like a long time ago. I guess it was two years ago now. It feels like forever ago and it is kind of ironic. It’s another Bay Area, Monday night game, get to go home. But, we’re excited for the game. I’m excited for the game. We get to see all of my family up there, have a lot of family at the game and get to go play a good team with the (Oakland) Raiders.”
(On if his family is excited that they get to be at the game this week)
“Yeah, I’ll have a bunch of people there.”
(On how many family members will be at the game)
“How many I’m getting tickets for, I can tell you. How many people I actually know there, I don’t know. But how many I’m getting tickets for would probably be about 30 or 40.”
(On how he feels that he has matured in the two years since his rookie season)
“Yeah, a lot. Just like anyone changes over two years – you mature, you learn a lot. You learn a lot about yourself, a lot about the NFL and how to prepare, how to go about your daily business, how you get ready for a game. Ultimately, a lot of things have to do with how to win in this league and various different things, you know? There’s a million things and I’ve grown up a lot. That was two years ago. I was 21 then, I’m 23 now. Not too old now, but a little bit older than I was then.”
(On how eager he is to get out there and show everyone this year’s offense)
“Yeah, very excited. Very excited to get out there and finally get some competitive – truly competitive – action with our offense. It’ll be fun. We’re really excited. It’ll be under the lights – big time game, Monday night. Like I said, against a good team with the Raiders and it’ll be really cool. We’re excited to get out there as an offense and I mean, the defense only played a little bit too. I know they’re excited as well.”
(On if he was nervous for last season’s opening game against the Indianapolis Colts)
“Of course. Yeah, every game you have a little bit of anxiety and just butterflies. You want to get it out of the way. But, I think this year just being in the system another year, kind of understanding what our intent is on each play and what we’re trying to get done and what we’re trying to accomplish definitely eases that a little bit. You build a better idea of as far as – like I said – what you’re trying to do each play. I’ll have a little bit better feeling this year for sure.”
(On if he’s mindful that teams have been studying him since last season)
”Yeah, been mindful of it the entire offseason, I think. Just trying to clean up any bad habits I may have, any tips or tells that I may have from last year. You do a self-scout at the end of the year and kind of see what you want to work on. There’s various things that I think I’m trying to improve on. Ultimately, that’s not something you’re so focused on, but something you’re trying to fix – if there are any tips and tells, but ultimately, just trying to get yourself better each and every day and trying to, for myself, be the best leader and teammate I can be on this team.”
(On going through Jon Gruden’s Quarterback Camp and what he remembers)
”Yeah, it was great. Something that I grew up watching and getting a chance to go on that show was really cool for me and a cool experience and (Oakland Raiders Head Coach) Jon (Gruden) was great to me. Learned a lot from him – learned a little bit about protections and whatnot in the short time I spent with him and then just learned about his passion for the game and how much he cares and how cool it was that he did that every year and was really, I think truly, trying to help the young quarterbacks in the short time he had with them. I was fortunate enough to get to spend some of that time with him.”
(On growing up in the Bay Area and what he remembers about the Oakland Raiders)
”They weren’t very good when I was growing up. They’ve recently been successful, but when I was growing up, they went through some tough times. There was the time, when I was young, when Jon was previously there with like (Former Raiders QB Rich) Gannon and (Former Raiders DB Charles) Woodson and those guys and going to the Super Bowl, I think. I guess he was coaching for the (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) ‘Bucs’ then, but then he just left. But yeah, that’s – from when I was really young, I remember some of that – but most of it wasn’t as successful as then, from my childhood.”
(On DE Khalil Mack being traded and if he’s glad he won’t have to face him in Week 1)
”I mean we’ll see him in whatever week we play the Bears, so. He’s a good player and right now we’re focused on the Raiders. It is definitely a big trade and something that you definitely see and can react to. He’s a great player and he’s not going to be on the team that we’re playing this week but they’ve got plenty of good players, a great defense and a great team that we’re preparing for. We’re not thinking too much about (Bears DE) Khalil (Mack) right now.”
(On if there’s anything different fans will see from him this year compared to last year)
”I don’t know. Hopefully more under control, more completions, more touchdowns. I just want to continue to play well and get the ball to playmakers. Just don’t do too much, don’t try to over complicate things and continue to distribute the ball and take care of it.”
(On if there’s a couple of plays that Head Coach Sean McVay has installed that he’s particularly excited about going into the game and showing what the team has been working on)
”Yeah, there’s a bunch. There’s a bunch of stuff we’ve been working on this offseason that we’re ready to display on Monday night. A lot of the stuff is from last season as well that we’re going to continue to do and then there’s a lot of new stuff we’re doing. What we’re going to do and how we’re going to do it, I don’t know. But there’s a lot of stuff that we’re excited to put on the field finally that we’ve been working on for so long this offseason. A lot of that is carry over, a lot of it is not.”
(On if the practice schedule being altered due to the Monday night game helps them get prepared for the late starting game)
”Yeah, I think it’s really smart. I was happy we did that. Just having a late start especially in your first game when we haven’t played in a real game in so long, and playing a night game, can kind of feel weird at first. We’re trying to do our best to simulate that late start throughout the week. I think it’s really smart by our guys and our strength staff and training staff.”