Jared Goff left the Detroit Lions’ season opener with more than a 31-30 overtime win.
The Lions quarterback threw for 206 yards against the New Orleans Saints on September 13, pushing his career total to 39,828 and moving him past Andy Dalton for No. 26 on the NFL’s all-time passing yards list. Goff entered the season with 39,622 yards, while Dalton sat directly ahead of him at 39,793.
It was not Goff’s flashiest afternoon. It did not need to be.
He completed 26 of 39 passes for 206 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, including a four-yard overtime touchdown to Amon-Ra St. Brown that ultimately provided the winning margin. New Orleans answered with a touchdown but failed on its two-point conversion attempt, giving Detroit the one-point victory.
Jared Goff Is Closing in on 40,000 Passing Yards
Passing Dalton puts another recognizable quarterback behind Goff. His next round number is even closer.
Goff now needs 172 passing yards to reach 40,000 for his career.
That gives him a realistic shot at the milestone Thursday, September 17, when the Lions visit the Buffalo Bills. Detroit has only four days between games before playing the first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium.
The next player on the career list is Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas, who finished with 40,239 passing yards. That leaves Goff 411 yards behind Unitas for 25th place.
For perspective, Goff began the season at No. 27 with 39,622 yards. He needed 172 yards Sunday to catch Dalton and cleared that mark during a game in which Detroit leaned heavily on Jahmyr Gibbs rather than asking Goff to pile up volume.
Gibbs carried 29 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Goff still delivered both of Detroit’s passing scores to St. Brown, including the overtime touchdown. Detroit survived despite being outgained 469-369.
Goff Continues Climbing Lions Record Book, Too
The larger career number includes Goff’s five seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, but his production in Detroit has already put him near the top of the franchise’s own passing records.
Goff entered 2026 with 21,451 passing yards as a Lion, second in team history behind Matthew Stafford’s 45,109. Bobby Layne ranks third at 15,710.
Add Sunday’s 206 yards and Goff has now thrown for 21,657 yards since arriving in the 2021 Stafford trade.
That trade will always connect the two quarterbacks in Detroit history. The gap in Lions-only passing yardage remains substantial, but Goff’s climb on the NFL list is becoming harder to miss.
Dalton is now behind him.
Forty thousand is probably one solid game away.
And Unitas is suddenly within sight.
Lions Star Jared Goff Gets Career News After Saints Game