Quarterback Jared Goff is in his fourth season with the Detroit Lions, and the last two have been probably his best.
Goff has been one of the league’s top quarterbacks since an offseason trade that took him from the Los Angeles Rams to Detroit for Matthew Stafford in 2021 — in which he was virtually a throw-in.
Reflecting on the trade during a recent appearance on the “Trading Cards” podcast, Goff confessed he was determined not only to prove those who had given up on him incorrect, but also to attain the level of play he felt he could achieve.
“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,” he 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.”
Since joining the Lions, Goff has the fourth-most passing yards (12,258), the seventh-most touchdowns (78), and the eighth-best passer rating (96.5), as well as the tenth-fewest interceptions (27) and sacks taken (88), and he has been named to the Pro Bowl.
Last season, the 29-year-old finished second in the NFL in passing yards (4,575), trailing only Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa, and was fourth in touchdown passes (30), fifth in completion percentage (67.3), and seventh in passer rating (97.9).
Goff, who is entering the final season of his four-year, $134 million contract ($33.5 million per year), is expected to cash in big with his next contract. According to ESPN, Goff’s next contract could pay him between $45 million and $50 million per year, placing him among the league’s top seven quarterbacks.
“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 said.
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