The Detroit Lions acquired quarterback Jared Goff in a 2021 trade, sending longtime signal-caller Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in return. Goff arrived in Detroit as part of a blockbuster exchange that shook the NFL.

Along with Goff, the Lions received a valuable collection of draft picks, which they used to select players like Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Brodric Martin, Josh Paschal, and Ifeatu Melifonwu. The standout names in this haul, besides Goff, are Williams, Gibbs, and LaPorta. While the deal was significant when it happened, it still stands out—especially since Stafford went on to win a Super Bowl with the Rams.

That context makes recent remarks by Lions general manager Brad Holmes especially noteworthy. Holmes recently appeared in an interview with ESPN’s Field Yates, where he said he believes the trade could go down as one of the best orchestrated in NFL history.

“When we finalized the trade and people called it a ‘salary dump,’ I thought, look, Jared Goff…I knew who he was, I understood how he was built. People tend to focus too much on recent results. He had just exited the playoffs and lost a Super Bowl, and folks acted like his career was over at 24 or 25. He had achieved a lot early on,” Holmes shared in the interview.

He continued, “Sure, things got rough toward the end, but I never doubted his talent or intelligence. I knew he was tough, gritty, and mentally strong. That’s why I felt like Detroit was the ideal place for him, and clearly, the trade paid off. You can stack this deal against others in NFL history—it has to rank high, for what it did for us and also what it brought to the Rams.”

Holmes makes a fair point—the trade worked well for both organizations. The Rams got their championship, and the Lions assembled a promising young foundation. However, Goff still hasn’t brought Detroit to its first Super Bowl appearance, which tempers the overall legacy of the move. Last season was a strong opportunity, but injuries hurt the team’s playoff run.

If Goff can eventually deliver a Super Bowl berth, the trade might truly deserve mention among the league’s all-time greats. Until that happens, though, despite the strong returns from the draft picks, the deal feels a bit uneven. Holmes’ confident statement could end up not aging as well as he hopes.