Despite being an undrafted rookie, Luke Altmyer is competing to be the primary backup quarterback for the Detroit Lions.
In Week 2 of the preseason, Altmyer affirmed his position in the competition, playing well against the Washington Commanders. He led the Lions in passing while avoiding any giveaways.
But maybe more importantly than anything he did on the field, Altmyer delivered an important message off of it.
To reporters in his postgame press conference, the quarterback shared what he wants Dan Campbell and the Lions other coaches to see in his game.
“Get better. Get better, man. I’m so young, man. I’m so young in this league. I’m young as a player and I like to be coached, man. I need to be coached. I need to be,” said Altmyer. “Each play there’s something to learn on. So, with kind of mechanics and operation, my feet, my drop, seeing the field and playing together as a unit.
“Get better. That’s the goal. The goal is not to achieve some result. The goal is to get better every single day. So, hope to hear that for sure.”
Altmyer finished Saturday’s preseason contest 9 of 13 for 86 yards.
Last week, Altmyer was 13-for-22 with 130 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Luke Altmyer Battling for Lions QB2 Role
GettyDetroit Lions quarterback Luke Altmyer shared what he wants his coaches to see when they watch his game film.
Altmyer struggled in the pocket at times in Week 2 of the preseason. The Commanders sacked him four times, which cost Detroit 35 yards.
But the rest of Altmyer’s day was significantly better than his preseason debut.
He avoided throwing an interception, and he had more yards per pass Saturday than Week 1 of the exhibition campaign.
Fellow backup quarterback Josh Dobbs delivered a 50-yard touchdown run versus the Commanders. But as a passer, Altmyer at least matched, if not bettered, Dobbs through the air.
Jared Goff is obviously the team’s starting quarterback. But either Altmyer or Dobbs will be the team’s backup when the regular season begins.
Altmyer might have the lead based on Saturday’s performances. Dobbs was 7-for-12 with 74 yards and an interception.
“Man, I thought there were highs and lows,” head coach Dan Campbell told reporters. “I thought that run was big. You know, that’s something that [Dobbs] is capable of. That was a big third-down run for a touchdown.
“And, Altmeyer, I still think he sees the field really well,” Campbell said. “There’s just a couple of things he got on him, and it’s always going to be about for him is, man, can he play a little bit faster?”
Will the Lions Add Another Quarterback?
GettyUndrafted rookie quarterback Luke Altmyer is battling for the Detroit Lions backup quarterback job to begin the 2026 regular season.
While Altmyer tries to answer that question for Campbell, the question for the Lions is will they trust either the undrafted rookie or Dobbs as the team’s backup quarterback?
Dobbs is highly respected around the league. But he didn’t have a job until early August when the Lions signed him out of desperation. On August 9, the Lions placed backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater on the retired/reserve list.
Dobbs is just 3-12 as a starter in his career. Will the Lions trust him or an undrafted rookie with what they hope is a championship-caliber team if Goff gets hurt?
It wouldn’t be surprising if the Lions went quarterback shopping next weekend.
When roster cuts initially happen, the team could keep both Altmyer and Dobbs but then see if any intriguing quarterbacks hit the waiver wire on August 30. The Lions could also try to trade for a veteran signal-caller such as Mason Rudolph, who is on a team with three other quarterbacks.
To officially stay with the Lions, Altmyer will have to keep showing the team what he wants them to see — improvement with every opportunity.
Rookie QB Luke Altmyer Fires Clear Message to Dan Campbell, Lions Coaching Staff