The Other Rams-Lions QB swap

By John W. Lesko 

In early 2021 the Lions traded Matthew Stafford to the Rams for Jared Goff, a 2021 third-round draft pick, a 2022 first-round draft pick, and a 2023 first-round draft pick. Considering the Rams won the Super Bowl after the 2021 season, it can be argued that the Rams won the trade to that point. 

The Lions will get some revenge if they beat the Rams on Sunday night.

It was not the first time these two franchises made a trade where quarterbacks were swapped. On May 1, 1968, the Rams traded quarterback Bill Munson and a 1969 third-round draft pick to the Lions for quarterback Milt Plum, receiver-punter Pat Studstill, running back Tommy Watkins, and a 1969 first-round draft pick.

Plum was the NFL’s passing champion in 1960 when he played for the Browns. His 110.4 passer rating was not topped until Joe Montana’s 112.4 in 1989. After another good statistical season in 1961, Plum was traded to Detroit in the offseason. Plum helped lead the Lions to an 11-3 record in 1962 but it was not good enough for a playoff berth.

Plum struggled the rest of his career with Detroit. He went 12-22-4 as the Lions starting quarterback from 1963-67. The Lions had been a superb team in the 1950s but started to deteriorate in the mid-60s.

Munson was the 7th overall pick in the 1964 draft by the Rams. He went 3-13-2 as the starting quarterback during his first two seasons. He started zero games in the next two seasons. The Rams then gave up on him and packaged him to Detroit.

Munson had an okay season in 1968. He started 12 of the team’s 14 games. He played 11 more NFL seasons mostly as a backup. In games that he started in his 16-year NFL career, his teams had a record of 27-34-5.

Plum was near the end of the road when the trade was made. He only threw 12 passes for the Rams in 1968. He finished his career in Detroit in 1969 as a member of the Giants. Plum received mop-up duty in a Lions 24-0 blowout of the Giants on September 28. Giants starter Fran Tarkenton was ineffective that day. Plum was 3 of 9 for 37 yards. 

The Lions starting quarterback that day? Bill Munson, naturally.

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John W. Lesko is a member of the Professional Football Researchers Association and a graduate of Seton Hall University. He is a contributing writer of "The 1958 Baltimore Colts: Profiles of the NFL's First Sudden Death Champions" and wrote an article for "The Coffin Corner" on all the major pro football league games without a touchdown.