The face Los Angeles football is expected to be Jared Goff. At least, that’s the way it should be. He’s young, has a world of potential and plays for a Rams team that has struggled more than most NFL franchises for the past decade-plus.

Being the face of L.A. won’t be easy, of course. It’s a city that was deprived of football for too long, and is now being handed two teams – neither of which are particularly great. Goff can change that by becoming the player many expected him to be when the Rams took him first overall in last year’s draft.

But does he have the makeup and toughness to handle the scrutiny that comes with being the cornerstone of a franchise in one of the nation’s biggest cities? Tyler Dunne of Bleacher Report set out to find that answer, asking not only Goff, but those close to him whether he’s tough enough to get it done.

“If people think I’m soft, I don’t really care. That doesn’t bother me,” Goff said. “I know what my teammates think.”

Earlier, Goff had told Dunne that he’s not afraid of getting hit. What he’s more worried about is people saying “’He’s a little (expletive).’” Those two statements would seem to contradict each other, but it’s clear Goff has the moxie to handle whatever criticism comes his way.

“You can’t see it,” his former high school coach Mazi Moayed said. “There’s tough guys who come out of all kinds of environments. Yeah, he’s GQ-smooth when you look at him. But he has the competitive toughness. I have zero doubts—zero doubts—that he’ll be successful at that level.”

Goff struggled throughout his first season in the NFL, going 0-7 as a rookie. He had just five touchdown passes and seven interceptions, leading many people to doubt his ability as a franchise quarterback. It’s hard to judge a player – namely a quarterback – after only seven starts, which is why L.A. has to be patient with Mr. Goff.