There is no denying that the Detroit Lions star Jared Goff has been one of the underrated quarterbacks in the NFL, quietly delivering elite performances year after year— particularly during the regular season. For his steady, consistent performances, including the 2025 season when he put together elite numbers, ESPN rewarded him with major recognition.
Analyst Jeremy Fowler recently released the list of the top ten quarterbacks in the NFL for the 2026 season, where the 31-year-old found a spot in the top 10, sitting at the No. 9 position. Besides Jeremy himself, the list comprised the votes of other coaches, scouts, and execs.
“The guy wins. He’s going to find a completion if not under pressure. Mature pocket passer with a plus arm who can layer the ball at all levels,” an NFL coordinator mentioned during this voting, offering high praise for the Lions QB1.
Goff was reportedly one of the popular choices among the single-callers during this voting, landing on around 60% of the ballots, which helped him secure a top-10 spot. Having spent a decade in the NFL, he continues to show why he is still among the very best in the league.
Jared Goff Joins Tom Brady, Peyton Manning in Exclusive NFL Passing Company
Even after spending ten years as a professional, Jared Goff has not shown the slightest signs of slowing down. As a matter of fact, he has been one of the most productive QBs in the league, amassing 9,193 passing yards over the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Last season, the five-time Pro-Bowler threw 4,564 passes, sitting second behind the NFL MVP Matthew Stafford, who logged 4,707 yards. His numbers were even better the previous season, when the Lions had the most successful regular season under Dan Campbell, with a record of 15-2. Throwing for 4,629 passing yards, Goff narrowly missed the top spot again to Joe Burrow.
GettyDetroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff
Moreover, he has now become one of the five quarterbacks in NFL history to achieve the feat of throwing for over 4,500 passing yards for five seasons. Besides his past two years, the 31-year-old attained the feat playing for the Los Angeles Rams in 2018 and 2019, while 2023 was the year he reached the magic number for the first time in Detroit with 4,575 passing yards. Only four all-time great quarterbacks— Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Matt Ryan— reached the milestone before the Lions star.
Despite those numbers, Goff was sacked a career-high 38 times last season. Otherwise, he could have been sitting close to the top half of this list. Nevertheless, he still leads all the quarterbacks in his division.
Jared Goff Tops NFC North QB Field
Two NFC North signal-callers— Lions’ Jared Goff and Bears‘ Caleb Williams— were the two players to be featured in that list from the division. While Goff found a place at number one, Williams wasn’t far behind at number ten.
Vikings‘ last year’s starting QB J. J. McCarthy played only 10 games and had a dismal campaign. On the other hand, the Packers‘ star Jordan Love wrapped up the season with 3,381 passing yards, which was not enough to dominate the headlines and get a place in the top 10 QBs in the league.
Lions QB Jared Goff Receives Major Recognition From NFL Community