Yogi Roth Sees Jared Goff as a Serious MVP Candidate in 2024

So-called quarterback guru Yogi Roth expects former Cal star and current Lions QB Jared Goff to have a big year in 2024, but why was he snubbed in 2023?

Lions quarterback Jared Goff looks on at during warmups before the NFC championship game at Levi's / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

At least one expert expects former Cal star Jared Goff and his Lions to have big seasons in 2024, good enough in fact that both could earn the ultimate rewards.

Long-time Pac-12 football analyst Yogi Roth is considered a voice worth listening to when it comes to quarterback play based on his experience as an assistant quarterbacks coach at USC, his books on quarterbacks and his association with the Elite 11 quarterback camp.

And Roth did not hold back on his praise and expectations of Goff in a recent appearance on “Up & Adams” hosted by Kay Adams, who refers to Roth as a “quarterback guru.”

At the very end of her interview with Roth, he addresses his thoughts on Goff and the Lions.

Asked by Adams for his opinion on which of three former Pac-12 quarterbacks – Justin Herbert, Jared Goff and Sam Darnold – is most likely to have a top-five season, Roth answered without hesitation:

“Jared Goff,” he said. “I think Jared Goff has a chance to win the MVP and take them to the Super Bowl.  I’ve been around Jared Goff and where he sits now, the comfort in his own feet and who he is, and the way he’s played and what he did last year and what this team believes in moving forward, I’m all in on the Rams.” (Presumably he meant the Lions, not the Rams.)

The question from our end is this: Why wasn’t Goff an MVP candidate last year? Ten players received MVP votes last season from ballots that included first, second, third and fourth choices, and Goff did not receive a single vote.

The numbers suggest the MVP voters made a mistake by overlooking Goff.

Goff finished second in the NFL in passing yardage and fourth in touchdown passes. Those numbers as well as his passer rating were all better than those of Patrick Mahomes, Matthew Stafford and Josh Allen, all of whom received MVP votes.

A quarterback’s value is typically determined by his team’s success, and only one team had a better record the Lions -- the Baltimore Ravens, whose quarterback, Lamar Jackson, won the MVP.  Detroit had a better record than Mahomes’ Chiefs, Allen’s Bills and Stafford’s Rams.

And it was the Lions’ offense that got them a 12-5 regular-season record and an NFC North title.  They ranked third in total offense and fifth in points, while ranking 19th in total defense and 23rd in points allowed.  Goff and the offense had to carry the team.

Finally, it’s not as if there was a Lions running back or wide receiver who stole the glory from Goff. There was no Christian McCaffrey or Tyreek Hills, both of whom received MVP votes, to take the attention away from Goff.

The postseason didn’t count in the MVP voting, but Goff got his team to the NFC championship game, barely losing to the 49ers on the road.

In short: the MVP voters missed the boat.  We are not claiming Goff should have won the MVP, but no votes when 10 other players received votes? Come on.

Maybe they’ll pay attention in 2024 if Goff and the Lions have similar success.