THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Jared Goff has been among the countless spectators who have watched as contract negotiations involving several NFL stars, including Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, have spilled into the public spotlight over the offseason.
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Rams quarterback admitted he felt happy that negotiations for his own four-year, $134 million extension, which includes a record-breaking $110 million in guarantees, was not among them.
"Here, we had something going on that was between us and wasn't involved with people outside of this building," Goff said. "I've enjoyed that and I appreciate them for that."
Goff is entering the fourth season of his five-year rookie deal. He was scheduled to earn $4.3 million this season and $22.8 million in 2020. That money will now be combined with his extension and spread over six seasons.
"It's great for him," Rams coach Sean McVay said. "It's something that demonstrates a commitment that we've always felt to him."
Goff, 24, laughed when asked if he had any large purchases planned with his landmark payday. "Put it in the stock market," he said, chuckling.
The timetable for a Goff extension was moved up after the Philadelphia Eagles reached a four-year, $128 million extension, with $109.9 million guaranteed, with Carson Wentz, who was selected second behind Goff in the 2016 draft.
Negotiations between the Rams and Goff's representatives, who also negotiated Wentz's deal, intensified at the outset of training camp in July.
"It's been a long process," said Goff, who is now tied to the Rams through 2024. "I'm just so happy to be done with it. It's such a relief."
Goff has yet to sign the extension, but is expected to do so before the Rams depart Friday for North Carolina, where they will open the season Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.
"I feel good," said Goff, when asked if his record deal caused any distractions in game preparation. "When the talks initially happened, I think you go through different emotions of being happy and excited. I think that's when you kind of are overwhelmed at that point. I think at this point, the talks and the numbers have been in my head for so long it's more of, now you can just relax and play."
Goff overcame a difficult rookie season, which included seven winless starts under former coach Jeff Fisher, to prove himself as a franchise quarterback.
In two seasons under McVay, Goff has passed for 8,492 yards and 60 touchdowns, with 19 interceptions. He has led the Rams to back-to-back division titles and their first Super Bowl appearance since 2001.
Last season, Goff earned a perfect passer rating of 158.3 in a Week 4 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, when he completed 26 of 33 passes for 465 yards and five touchdowns. He followed with a thriller in Week 11, when he passed for 413 yards and four touchdowns in a 54-51 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football.
However, after leading the Rams to a divisional-round win over the Cowboys and to a come-from-behind overtime victory over the New Orleans Saints in the Superdome to clinch the NFC championship, Goff faltered in the Super Bowl.
In a 13-3 loss to the New England Patriots, Goff completed 19 of 38 passes for 229 yards, with an interception. He was sacked four times.
When asked Wednesday how far he was from being a quarterback who could win a Super Bowl, Goff replied, "Hopefully not very far at all."
McVay, who is now tied to Goff through the 2023 season after he signed his own extension before training camp, expressed confidence that Goff's trajectory remained headed in a positive direction.
"Everything that he's done from an action standpoint from [last season] on has been indicative of why he earned the contract that he did," McVay said. "It's just the start."