Jared Goff is no different than any other NFL quarterback while preparing for a future opponent. Studying film to decipher a defense’s strengths and weaknesses is about as important as it gets.
Normally, it’s a fairly seamless process.
But every once in a while something will catch Goff’s eye that triggers the football fan in him. All of a sudden, he will find himself scurrying down a rabbit hole he never intended to fall into.
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Such is often the case when Goff is studying defensive film of a team trying to stop Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Besides the obvious connections the two players share — both grew up in Northern California, attended Cal and, for various reasons, encountered roadblocks to start their NFL careers — there is also a healthy level of mutual admiration as each is a fan of great quarterbacking and, as a result, of each other.
And it’s that appreciation — not just for the quality of play but also the intimate understanding of how difficult it really is to play quarterback — that ends up pulling Goff’s eyes away from the task at hand while getting engrossed by Rodgers’ brilliance.
“Yeah, there are times we’re watching him play against a defense and (end up) watching him,” Goff admitted.
Getting distracted by Rodgers’ high-level of play is understandable for Goff, who has achieved his own stunning growth as a quarterback.
“I’ve been a fan for years,” Goff said.
Their time at Cal was separated by nine years, and the younger Goff remembers watching Rodgers play for the Golden Bears while growing up in Novato, Calif.
Rodgers played at Cal from 2003 to 2004, or right smack in the middle of the great run by USC under Pete Carroll. The Golden Bears were one of the few teams that could stand toe-to-toe with the Trojans, thanks mostly to Rodgers.
The native of Chico, Calif., threw two touchdowns and ran for another in the schools’ 2003 matchup, which Cal won 34-31 in triple overtime. Even though he was forced out of that game with an injury, Rodgers still completed 18 of 25 passes for 217 yards and a 155.3 passer rating.
A year later, Rodgers nearly led Cal to another stunning upset, this time at the Coliseum where he completed his first 23 passes. He wound up completing 29 of 34 passes for 267 yards but could not get the Bears into the end zone in the final seconds as they fell short at the Trojans’ 14-yard-line in a 23-17 loss.
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At the time, USC was ranked No. 1 in the country and Cal was ranked ninth.
“We had some success up until the last couple drives,” Rodgers remembered this week.
His return to the Coliseum on Sunday will be his first since that epic game against USC 14 years ago.
Aaron Rodgers nearly led Cal to an upset of No. 1-ranked USC at the Coliseum in 2004. (Chris Carlson / AP Photo)
“I remember the atmosphere being electric,” Rodgers said. “Obviously, we were a top-10 team and they were the No. 1 team in the country. That was a fun day until the ending. That’s a great stadium. You think about all the different things that have gone on in there over the years, obviously from L.A. playing there for a while and the Olympics, it’s a great venue and it’ll be fun to get back there.”
Goff, who was 10 years old at the time and a huge 49ers fan, hoped his childhood team would use the first overall pick in the 2005 draft to select Rodgers. Instead, the Niners opted for Alex Smith from Utah. Incredibly, Rodgers slipped all the way to the 24th pick, where the Packers scooped him up.
“Ten-year-old Jared was very upset,” Goff said, half-joking, of the 49ers bypassing Rodgers.
“He was upset,” Goff said of his younger self. “With that being said, I’m a fan of Alex as well.”
Goff followed Rodgers while he was at Cal from 2013 to 2015 helping revive a program that had fallen on hard times. Rodgers kept an eye on Goff and Cal’s progress under him as the Bears’ three-year starter. Rodgers has been impressed by Goff’s growth the last two years after suffering through a rough rookie season in 2016.
Their paths have crossed more than a few times over the years.
“Well, I’ve gotten to know Jared a little bit over the last couple years, and being a Cal guy, obviously I’m pulling for him,” Rodgers said. “And he’s played really well. They’ve put a lot on his plate with check-with-me’s and stuff at the line of scrimmage, it looks like. And he does a good job with that.
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“He’s an accurate passer. He’s making good throws. He’s got some weapons to throw to, but he’s been extremely accurate and efficient with the ball. That’s what you need with the quarterback.”
Meanwhile, up in the Bay Area, it’s easy to imagine Cal football fans tuning in on Sunday afternoon as two of their favorites square off in a big-time matchup.
“I’m sure it’ll be exciting. I’m sure they’ll be excited to watch it,” Goff said. “It’s the first time I’ve played against a guy that went to my college. I don’t know for him if that’s the case, but it’ll be cool.
“I’m sure they’re excited about it. … I’m sure Cal football will post some pictures about it or something. It’ll be fun.”
Jared Goff was the starting QB all three years at Cal. (Brendan Maloney / USA TODAY Sports)
Top photo of Jared Goff and Aaron Rodgers: Harry How and Joe Robbins / Getty Images
