The Detroit Lions have officially wrapped up their 2026 preseason with a 2-1 record, earning consecutive victories over the Washington Commanders and Indianapolis Colts after falling to the Cincinnati Bengals in their preseason opener earlier this month.
The Lions, who took down the Colts on Saturday afternoon by a 25-16 final score at Lucas Oil Stadium, got a strong performance from quarterback Joshua Dobbs, whom the club recently signed to a one-year contract following the retirement of former backup Teddy Bridgewater.
And while Luke Altmyer saw action on Saturday, it was Dobbs who stood out and staked a major claim to be named the official backup to Jared Goff when the regular season opens up against the New Orleans Saints on September 13.
The Detroit Lions Backup Quarterback Position May Have Been Settled On Saturday Against The Colts
On Saturday, Dobbs completed 15 of 19 passing attempts for 128 yards and a pair of touchdown passes; he also earned a 128.9 quarterback rating.
Meanwhile, Altmyer finished 7-of-11 passing for 55 yards and an interception, along with another turnover.
While nothing is official as of this point, it looks more and more like Dobbs is trending to be Goff’s backup when the season begins. According to head coach Dan Campbell, the composure that Dobbs showed against the Colts stood out.
“I thought he played well,” Campbell said afterward of Dobbs via The Detroit News. “I liked his composure. I thought he … was very poised, man. I thought he had good command of the offense. Man, I thought he played with conviction. … I thought that was a good showing for him.”
Meanwhile, Dobbs has become more comfortable as he’s grown more accustomed to Detroit’s offensive scheme under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.
“You come into OTAs, that’s so many banked reps, time on task, and just conversations, discussions about what you want to do on offense. Unfortunately, I didn’t get that this year, which was frustrating,” Dobbs said. “But to be here with this opportunity and have the time I’ve had with the guys, and really, to have such great people around me, has been amazing.”
Joshua Dobbs Is Starting His First Season With The Lions
Dobbs, who was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, has mostly been a journeyman backup QB throughout his career.
He has played for several teams, including the Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots. Dobbs received an extended opportunity in 2023, starting 12 games between Arizona and Minnesota.
He spent the 2025 season as New England’s backup, and arrived in Detroit for the 2026 season with 3,346 passing yards, 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, along with 515 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
He was signed by the Lions to a one-year contract following the departure of veteran backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who ultimately decided to retire from the NFL. While Altmyer made a positive impression during OTAs, his preseason performance hasn’t been as strong, and Dobbs has likely done enough to secure the backup job behind Goff heading into the upcoming season.
Detroit Lions’ Backup Quarterback Job May Have Been Decided On Saturday