There was a time when the Detroit Lions were just another team trying to find footing in the NFC North, and they were not a team that would be in a Super Bowl conversation. But Jared Goff’s trade to Detroit helped to change that narrative alongside Dan Campbell as a head coach. With Goff leading the offense, the franchise Lions are now considered one of the heavyweights in the league, capable of a Super Bowl push.
Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby recently acknowledged the Lions’ transformation in the last few years, recognizing Jared Goff’s role in this turnaround.
“Jared Goff, he is one of the better quarterbacks in the league,” Maxx Crosby said on a recent edition of The Rush Podcast. “He has been doubted a million times. Everyone tried to write him off. They thought he was going to Detroit just to rot, but he turned them into a Super Bowl contender. So, I have a lot of respect for Jared Goff; he is good.”
Jared Goff was initially picked by the Los Angeles Rams, where he spent five seasons before moving to Detroit in a blockbuster trade involving Matthew Stafford.
Jared Goff Has Quietly Delivered Elite Passing Numbers Year After Year
Jared Goff arrived at the Motor City in 2021— the same year Dan Campbell joined as the head coach, starting a new era for the franchise. Entering his sixth season, he has regularly put up impressive numbers, reminding us why the Lions traded him for Stafford, who spent over a decade with the team.
Except for his first season in Detroit, the signal-caller has logged over 4,400 passing yards each season while not missing any regular-season game since 2022. As a matter of fact, he has finished as runner-up in passing yards each of the last three seasons. Last year, the pocket passer had 4,564 passing yards, finishing next to the NFL MVP Matthew Stafford.
He showed a similar consistency in 2024, ending up second in the league with 4,629 yards next to Joe Burrow. In 2023, he narrowly missed claiming the first spot in the NFL after registering 4,575 passing yards, while Tua Tagovailoa (4,624 yards) grabbed the top spot.
The same level of consistency has been on display this year as well, continuing to rank among the most accurate QBs in the league with 1.964 pasing yards in just 7 games, while having only 1 interception.
His impressive numbers have translated into results on the field, with the Lions enjoying postseason success.
Jared Goff Has Led The Lions To Back-To-Back NFC North Titles
When Stafford spent twelve seasons with the Lions, the team reached the postseason only three times, but the numbers are significantly better with Goff in charge. After the 32-year-old’s arrival, the Lions did not make the playoffs in his first two years, but in 2023, they not only reached the postseason but also had a historic campaign. After claiming the NFC North crown, they reached the NFC Championship Game for the first time in over three decades.
The regular season numbers got even better the following year with a 15-2 record. After clinching the NFC North title again, they lost in the NFC Divisional Round. With injury woes last season, the franchise failed to reach the playoffs. Despite challenges this season, Goff has the Lions sitting at 5-2 in 2026 and certainly in contention for a playoff berth, while the Lions’ offense ranks first in the league in total scoring yards (2,768).
Maxx Crosby Makes Honest Admission About Lions QB Jared Goff