Back in 2021, the Rams agreed to a blockbuster trade that ended up sending Jared Goff to the Lions in exchange for QB Matthew Stafford and multiple picks.
The Rams made a move that ultimately got them the result they were looking for. A Super Bowl Ring. And for the Lions, rebuild mode. Expectations were super low for Goff and the Lions. But now Goff can look back on this trade and be super pleased about it.
"In hindsight, (being traded to Detroit) was the greatest thing that ever happened to me, for my career and my development as a human," Goff said on the Trading Cards podcast, per the Detroit Free Press.
Following a rough first season with the Lions, where they only won three games, the team quickly evolved. In 2022, the Lions went on to finish with a 9-8 record, finishing second in the NFC North. This was also the year Goff would be selected to his third Pro Bowl. Then in 2023, the Lions would go on to be even better going to the NFC Championship game.
Despite how many people thought Goff would do, he was still gonna be ready no matter what.
"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."
In 2023, Detroit capped off the season with an impressive 12-5 record, clinching the top spot in its division and securing the NFC's No. 3 seed in the playoffs. During Wild Card Weekend, Goff and his teammates seized the opportunity to secure the franchise's first playoff victory in 32 years, ironically beating his former team, the Los Angeles Rams. However, their journey didn't end there. Detroit went on to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round before ultimately falling to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. Goff ended up having a phenomenal season, throwing for 4,575 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and a career-high 67.3 completion percentage.
At 29 years old, Goff quickly became a cornerstone for the Lions offense and a figure of leadership within the Detroit community. He acknowledges this responsibility and has openly discussed how the city and it’s environment has helped him.
"I've just gotten older and you get more comfortable in your voice," Goff said. "And I think there was an element to being empowered that happened in Detroit with Dan (Campbell) and a lot of the coaches and people there that were like 'Dude no. You go. This is your thing, you go figure it out,' whereas as a young player, that wasn't always the case."
Now as Goff and the team get ready for the season this fall, expectations are at an all time high and they try and go on another Super Bowl run.
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