Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff is hoping to be back for the playoffs, but his team will have to get there first without him.
Goff underwent surgery on his broken and dislocated right thumb on Monday and is hoping he can return for the postseason, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported.
Goff will miss the team’s regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals, with John Wolford getting the start, coach Sean McVay announced on Monday. McVay added that Bryce Perkins will be the No. 2 QB and the team is planning on bringing back Blake Bortles off of the Denver Broncos’ practice squad.
Through 15 starts this season for the Rams (9-6), Goff has throw for 3,952 yards (263.5 per game) with 20 touchdowns to 13 interceptions. He played the duration of Sunday’s 20-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks despite injuring his thumb.
Goff broke and dislocated his throwing thumb when his hand hit a Seahawks defender’s helmet in the third quarter. Goff could later be seen on the broadcast popping his thumb back into place.
A win or tie versus the Cardinals (8-7) — or a Chicago Bears loss or tie — would clinch a Rams playoff berth on Sunday.
Should that happen, Goff is aiming to be back for the playoffs and believes he’s got a shot, Rapoport said. The Week 17 tilt versus the Cardinals will be the first of Goff’s career missed due to an injury, per NFL Research.
Goff’s surgery was handled by Dr. Steven Shin, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported. Shin is the Rams’ hand specialist and also repaired New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees’s thumb last season.
With Goff undergoing surgery, Wolford, 25, steps to the forefront. The 6-foot-1 Wolford hasn’t played in an NFL regular season game yet and joined the Rams after a 2019 stint with the Alliance of American Football’s Arizona Hot Shots.
While the Rams will go with a former AAF standout, the Cardinals are hopeful of having Kyler Murray (lower leg) for the Sunday showdown, but if Murray can’t go, former Canadian Football League standout Chris Streveler is No. 2 on the Cards depth chart.
