NFC Championship Quarterback in Extension Talks

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN has reported that Goff and the Lions are looking to make him the long-term quarterback in Detroit. After a tremendous run to the NFC Championship Game where Goff had the Lions in a position to win, it seemed imminent that an extension was on the way.

Jared Goff Looks To Extend His Stay In Detroit

Goff had an impressive season where he ranked second in passing yards, fourth in passing touchdowns, and top 10 in passer rating. These numbers alone put him among the top 10 quarterbacks in the league, and he should be paid accordingly. Since joining the Detroit Lions, Goff has continuously progressed and helped the Liona overcome years of dysfunction.

According to Fowler

“He wants to be there. Only 29 years old, due to make about $28 million this year, so he’s going to have to be in that threshold of $45- maybe even $50 million a year based on the way he’s played. So, it’s going to take some time to get that done,”

Goff’s Journey To This Point

Goff’s journey has been full of highs and lows. He possesses the skills of a top quarterback in the league but has faced some setbacks. Goff was selected first overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. The following year, he teamed up with first-year head coach Sean McVay, which helped him improve his game. In 2018, Goff had a career year and led the Rams to the Super Bowl, where they lost to Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Over the following years, McVay’s trust in Goff dwindled as Goff’s performance seemed to regress from his Super Bowl season. Goff was traded to the Detroit Lions in 2021 in exchange for the franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Goff watched Stafford lead the Rams to win the Super Bowl in his first season in LA. This led to speculation that the Lions would replace Goff as their quarterback, seeing him only as a backup or a low-end starter. However, something seemed to click for Goff in 2022, and he started to play like a different quarterback, showing signs of great potential. He finished the 2022 season strongly, earning himself one more chance to prove that he could be the Lions’ savior. In 2023, he did just that.

Goff’s Recent Comments

In a recent interview on the Trading Cards podcast, Goff made it clear that he needed Detriot just as much as they needed him.

“In hindsight, (being traded to Detroit) was the greatest thing that ever happened to me, for my career and my development as a human,”

He goes on to elaborate more on the trade to Detroit.

“Being shipped off and being sent to a place to die, essentially, is what a lot of people think it was, and I was never going to allow that to happen,” Goff said. “I’m fortunate enough to be around a lot of good coaches and players in Detroit that support me and help me reach my potential.”

The Lions have struggled with dysfunction since their inception as a franchise. Goff deserves an extension for his part in bringing them into Super Bowl contention. With a new era beginning in Detroit, Lions faithful finally have reason to believe that the team is turning a corner.