Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff didn’t begin his journey in Detroit the typical way. He wasn’t selected in the draft or signed in free agency. Instead, he was acquired by general manager Brad Holmes after Goff’s reputation in the league had—well—started to decline.
In addition to receiving multiple first-round picks that turned into players like Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, and Jameson Williams, Detroit gained a quarterback eager to embrace a fresh start. Goff came in ready to prove himself after a few difficult seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.
The emotional relief Goff felt after the trade to Detroit is featured in the newest season of Netflix’s Quarterback series, where Goff appears alongside Joe Burrow and Kirk Cousins.
In the series, Goff shares that while his “former team” might have believed Detroit was where his career would “end,” he found renewed hope through Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell, who welcomed him into a culture focused on building something lasting—with Goff leading the charge.
With emotion in his voice, Goff said, “Hearing them on the call—that moment—just knowing the chance I had here meant everything.”
He went on to say that the call from Holmes and Campbell helped him realize he was joining a franchise on a mission, step by step, to rebuild from scratch. Both Campbell and Holmes were also featured, with Holmes recalling that trading for Goff was an easy decision.
“I had a feeling about the road ahead, and I knew how mentally tough he was,” Holmes said. “He just seemed like the right guy for the climb we were starting.”
That climb began with some tough years—Detroit went 5-11 in 2020 and 3-13 in 2021—but they bounced back with a 9-8 season in 2022 and an impressive 12-5 in 2023. By last year, they had emerged as a dominant regular-season team, finishing 15-2.
In 2025, Goff returns with nearly all of his offensive weapons intact, though he’ll be without his reliable center, Frank Ragnow. Still, the belief in Goff from the staff and front office remains rock solid. He’s expected to continue leading the Lions to even greater success.
