Jared Goff Reminds Dan Campbell of Drew Brees

Goff evokes memories of Saints' all-time great passer with recent stretch.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16). / Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell was first introduced to Jared Goff through a series of meetings between the New Orleans Saints, where Campbell was serving as the tight ends coach, and the Los Angeles Rams that Goff was quarterbacking.

Particularly, the two teams met on Jan. 26, 2019 at the Caesars' Superdome in the NFC Championship game. In that game, the Rams came into the notoriously loud Saints stadium and stole a berth in the Super Bowl with a 26-23 overtime victory.

In that game, Goff threw for 297 yards despite taking six hits and one sack. Now, with Campbell and Goff now paired together as head coach and quarterback on a Lions team that is viewed as a Super Bowl contender, those moments served as a solid first impression for the coach.

"I just saw the environment, the type of pressure that he was under, and just thinking, 'This guy won't break.' I would've sworn he would've broke. I'm just like, 'This guy can't handle this.' I don't know many quarterbacks that could. It was impressive, man," Campbell said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show. "That's the type of thing that sticks in your memory. You don't forget those moments. You're like, 'I don't know this guy, but I know enough sitting here watching him on the sideline that this guy has found a way to win and he just won't give up.' And he just keeps coming back for more. And there's a quiet competitiveness about him that, man, you want that guy on your team."

Fast forward to 2024, and Goff is truly playing at an MVP level. The veteran passer has been nearly perfect especially over the last four games, three of which have seen him end the first half without an incompletion.

His performance has invoked memories of another quarterback Campbell has worked with in Drew Brees. Formerly the quarterback of the Saints from 2006-20, Brees led the organization to its first Super Bowl championship.

Now, Goff is looking to do the same for the Lions, and Campbell sees plenty of similarities.

"He's playing at a high level. Look, I was fortunate to be around Drew Brees as a player and as a coach for a combination of six years," Campbell said. "When you're around that type of player, it's rare and to see the professionalism, the work that goes into it, the process, the competitiveness and there's things about Goff that remind me of him. He just, he's got a workman's attitude, he's blue-collar in that way. A quiet confidence, he doesn't get frazzled. He's tough. Man's he's seeing it, and because of that we put a lot on him."

💻 Dan Campbell

The @Lions head coach knows how good his quarterback is playing this year during their 5-1 start but even we didn't expect to whom he compared @JaredGoff16:#NFL #OnePride pic.twitter.com/8yuDt8r2hW

— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) October 22, 2024

Though Brees was a different mold of quarterback, standing 6-foot tall compared to the 6-foot-4 Goff, the two share several qualities. Brees' calling card was his processing and work at the line of scrimmage, along with his accuracy.

During Goff's hot stretch, many of those same qualities are on full display as he's led Detroit to four consecutive wins.

"I think it's the accuracy, man. I think it's the ability to process what the defense is doing to you and in a split second to make an accurate throw," Campbell said. "I think to be able to, I said this the other day, what certain players have in their head and what they've got in their heart is what separates guys in this league.

"So there's a lot of players that have ability, but when you start talking about the quarterback position, man, if you don't have it up there and you don't have that drive and that competitiveness and that spirit, man, you'll break. You'll crumble. You can't do it, there's too much pressure, there's too much put on you, and our guy's got that. He's a winner, man. Your first description of a good quarterback is a guy that can win, and this guy's a winner. So I'm glad we've got him."