‘A perfect storm’ – How the Lions changed their image to become NFL heaven for Jared Goff
The Los Angeles Rams gave up on Jared Goff. The Detroit Lions believed, and the NFL’s best story in 2024 has become football heaven for a resurrected Goff. GettyGoff has found a new football home in Detroit[/caption] The actual story — filled with draft picks, injuries, playoff heartbreak, trade deadlines and salary-cap problems — is much more complicated than that. But by swapping Goff and multiple future amateur selections for Matthew Stafford, the splashy Rams won Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles with Detroit’s former franchise quarterback. “Basically they were sending him (Goff) to Detroit to throw him to career suicide,” Eric Woodyard, Detroit Lions beat writer for ESPN, exclusively told talkSPORT. In the middle of America, the Lions are 27-7 the last two seasons with Goff in blue-and-silver, while Dan Campbell‘s super-resilient Detroit crew is the hottest team in the NFL entering the playoffs. “It’s something that’s never been done here, never been seen,” Woodyard said. Before the Lions could take over and inspire Detroit, they first had to get the best out of the QB who lost Super Bowl LIII and was viewed as non-essential to the Rams’ future. Campbell and Goff combined to go 3-13-1 in 2021 during their first season together. But Detroit general manager Brad Holmes, who previously served as director of college scouting with the Rams, had a plan on how to support and build around a re-established Goff. “Holmes had previous experience with him (Goff), so I think bringing them in and having that confidence,” Woodyard said. “(Holmes) understood the format and the blueprint of how to make Goff successful, and that’s to put the right tools around him.” GettyDan Campbell gets the best out of the Lions[/caption] GettyJahmyr Gibbs has become a touchdown machine[/caption] GettyLions fans are waiting for the playoffs to begin[/caption] A 6ft 5in and 335lb offensive tackle out of Oregon helped Goff eventually change his career and the overall story surrounding a QB who was viewed as good but never close to elite. “If you look at the very first pick of Brad Holmes, he got Penei Sewell,” Woodyard said. “So building in the trenches. … Then he brought in a lot of offensive weapons. “So you draft Amon-Ra St. Brown, you draft Jameson Williams and you draft Jahmyr Gibbs. “You draft all these weapons that they’ve brought in, and it’s the perfect match around Goff.” The 2024 season was the most efficient regular-season campaign of Goff’s nine-year career. He completed 72.4 percent of his passes for 4,629 yards, 28 touchdowns and a career-best 111.8 rating. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has become the brightest name on the coaching market, while the NFC’s No. 1 seed is also the highest-scoring offense (33.2 points) in the league. Campbell, Johnson, St. Brown and Gibbs all deserve serious credit for creating the most exciting Lions team in franchise history. But it starts and ends with Goff, who’s two wins away from Detroit’s first Super Bowl appearance. Being traded to the Lions was supposed to be ‘career suicide’ for the California-born Goff. Detroit is 15-2 and the kings of the NFC North. The Lions are healing and waiting for their Divisional Round playoff opponent, while lesser teams try to survive the wild card. “He’s peaking at the right time,” Woodyard said. “His confidence is high. The city’s embraced him and it’s just a perfect storm. “I think it starts with that belief in him, putting that confidence back in him, and building the tools around him.” talkSPORT is your home of the NFL on UK radio, and you can stay up to date with all the latest from around the league via our dedicated ‘EndZone’ YouTube channel.
The Los Angeles Rams gave up on Jared Goff.
The Detroit Lions believed, and the NFL’s best story in 2024 has become football heaven for a resurrected Goff.
The actual story — filled with draft picks, injuries, playoff heartbreak, trade deadlines and salary-cap problems — is much more complicated than that.
But by swapping Goff and multiple future amateur selections for Matthew Stafford, the splashy Rams won Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles with Detroit’s former franchise quarterback.
“Basically they were sending him (Goff) to Detroit to throw him to career suicide,” Eric Woodyard, Detroit Lions beat writer for ESPN, exclusively told talkSPORT.
In the middle of America, the Lions are 27-7 the last two seasons with Goff in blue-and-silver, while Dan Campbell‘s super-resilient Detroit crew is the hottest team in the NFL entering the playoffs.
“It’s something that’s never been done here, never been seen,” Woodyard said.
Before the Lions could take over and inspire Detroit, they first had to get the best out of the QB who lost Super Bowl LIII and was viewed as non-essential to the Rams’ future.
Campbell and Goff combined to go 3-13-1 in 2021 during their first season together.
But Detroit general manager Brad Holmes, who previously served as director of college scouting with the Rams, had a plan on how to support and build around a re-established Goff.
“Holmes had previous experience with him (Goff), so I think bringing them in and having that confidence,” Woodyard said.
“(Holmes) understood the format and the blueprint of how to make Goff successful, and that’s to put the right tools around him.”
A 6ft 5in and 335lb offensive tackle out of Oregon helped Goff eventually change his career and the overall story surrounding a QB who was viewed as good but never close to elite.
“If you look at the very first pick of Brad Holmes, he got Penei Sewell,” Woodyard said.
“So building in the trenches. … Then he brought in a lot of offensive weapons.
“So you draft Amon-Ra St. Brown, you draft Jameson Williams and you draft Jahmyr Gibbs.
“You draft all these weapons that they’ve brought in, and it’s the perfect match around Goff.”
The 2024 season was the most efficient regular-season campaign of Goff’s nine-year career.
He completed 72.4 percent of his passes for 4,629 yards, 28 touchdowns and a career-best 111.8 rating.
Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has become the brightest name on the coaching market, while the NFC’s No. 1 seed is also the highest-scoring offense (33.2 points) in the league.
Campbell, Johnson, St. Brown and Gibbs all deserve serious credit for creating the most exciting Lions team in franchise history.
But it starts and ends with Goff, who’s two wins away from Detroit’s first Super Bowl appearance.
Being traded to the Lions was supposed to be ‘career suicide’ for the California-born Goff.
Detroit is 15-2 and the kings of the NFC North.
The Lions are healing and waiting for their Divisional Round playoff opponent, while lesser teams try to survive the wild card.
“He’s peaking at the right time,” Woodyard said. “His confidence is high. The city’s embraced him and it’s just a perfect storm.
“I think it starts with that belief in him, putting that confidence back in him, and building the tools around him.”
talkSPORT is your home of the NFL on UK radio, and you can stay up to date with all the latest from around the league via our dedicated ‘EndZone’ YouTube channel.
