Lions Never Really Viewed Jared Goff as 'Bridge' Quarterback

Detroit Lions have high hopes Jared Goff will lead the team to success.

A looming question throughout the offseason was Jared Goff’s longevity as starting quarterback for the Lions. The quarterback struggled for most of the 2021 season, and with the team expected to have a high draft pick heading into 2023, he was viewed as a bridge to the future.

Detroit general manager Brad Holmes stuck with him, and reaped the rewards of the much-improved campaign.

Goff was lights out for the second half of the season, ending it with nine straight games without an interception. He surpassed 4,000 passing yards, and was a steady force for the offense.

The Lions have the No. 6 pick in the 2023 Draft, and could have top quarterbacks available. Holmes didn’t reject the idea of selecting a quarterback if the evaluations line up, but reiterated that Goff is the team’s quarterback going into 2023.

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“I think it’s a lot easier to get worse at quarterback than it is to get better at quarterback in this league,” Holmes said. “I think what Jared has done this year, he captained the ship of a top-three offense and I want to say he was top-10 statistically in most of the passing categories. We have to watch the draft, because we’re never going to turn down a good football player. So, if there’s a football player we really love, we’re gonna make sure no stone is unturned. But, I do think Jared has proven to everybody that he is the starting quarterback for us.”

Holmes said he remained confident in the signal-caller throughout the season. The two had worked together with the Los Angeles Rams, and the general manager saw something special in him even through the struggles.

“I was always confident in him, because I’ve been with him since the get-go, since he was drafted back when I was in L.A.,” Holmes said. “I just kind of know how resilient and mentally tough he is. I think a lot of it was me knowing all the success he had in L.A. I think that was kind of forgotten about a little bit when he got here, and I think he was put in a very tough situation.”

The success for Goff comes after a 2021 season in which he threw just 19 touchdown passes, as well as eight interceptions.

Thanks to an improved supporting cast and chemistry with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, the 28-year old enjoyed a revitalized season.

“He stayed the course,” Holmes explained. “Knowing what he’s made of, that’s why I just kept faith, I kept confidence. I respect the hell out of him, because I told him, ‘We’ll hold up our end of the bargain.’ We were being held accountable, we’ve got to put you in the right situation, with the right pieces around you, stability on offense. And, I felt like we did that, and he held up his end of the bargain. I just think it worked out. I didn’t have any doubt or waver, I never really deemed him as a bridge. I think everybody else did, but I think it’s a little bit of the recency bias from what he had to deal with last year.”

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2022 season ‘a step in the right direction’

Holmes knew what lay ahead for the Lions when he took the reins.

After a three-win season in 2021, he stayed the course with head coach Dan Campbell. After a nine-win 2022 campaign, he emphasized that the best is still yet to come for his team.

“Obviously, finishing off at 9-8, 5-1 in the division, it’s an improvement,” Holmes said. “I believe it is a step in the right direction, and it’s another step to where we want to go. But, you know, we still have work to do. But, I do think that we’re just getting started. I think we’re just getting started, and we’re just going to keep going up from here. Last year, a foundation was laid, culture was put in place. But, this year, I think the standard is set now.”

The Lions started 1-6 before reeling off eight wins over their last 10 games. Holmes credited many for their ability to stay the course, stating the importance of the culture within the team’s headquarters.

“I’m just, I’m proud of everything,” Holmes said. “With that plan, I remember at 1-6, everybody was ready to write us off, but nobody ever wavered. Everybody stayed the course, and I think they were resilient with the adversity we faced. We’ve made a commitment to build this thing the right way, and sometimes, the right way is the hard way. But, it’s still the right way, and we stay committed to it. We saw the growth, and we just stayed patient. We just had a disciplined approach, and towards the end, you started to see it really materialize.”