Why Jared Goff Should Care about External Expectations

Quarterback Jared Goff has been asked about others' low expectations for the Detroit Lions on numerous occasions since he joined the team.

Jared Goff is surely no longer in Hollywood. 

The new Detroit Lions signal-caller has heard the external noise all offseason long regarding how he's going from a winning organization in the Los Angeles Rams -- an organization which he led to the Super Bowl during the 2018 season -- to one in the Detroit Lions which has experienced three straight losing campaigns and has never even been to a Super Bowl. 

Despite the constant headlines written about such and the frequent questioning he's faced regarding it from SI All Lions to various other local and national media outlets, the sixth-year passer has continued to take everything in stride and act like it's no big deal. 

And Wednesday proved to be no different. He was asked again about pundits expecting the Lions to be largely irrelevant in 2021, and despite the fact he almost "broke character," he stayed true to the message he's conveyed all training camp when pressed with the topic. 

"You know, I've answered this question I don't know how many times since I've been here," Goff said. "We don't care. I don't want to swear here, but we don't care. We don't give a ... anything about what anyone says. It's the internal expectations we've always had, and those will remain the same." 

Goff also stated that he is aware of the lack of success Detroit has had as a franchise and that he wants to flip the script and turn the Lions into winners.

He added, "Obviously, there's been a lack of success around here for a long time. We hope to change that, and we hope to change that quickly. You know, it doesn't happen overnight, but every day is a new day to get better. And if you keep doing the right things, eventually the tide will change. But, no, we don't listen to it. It is out there, sure. But, internally, our expectations are just the same as everyone else." 

© Junfu Han via Imagn Content Services, LLC

© Junfu Han/Detroit Free Press via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Goff, who was recently named a team captain, has been toeing the company line all offseason long when presented with questions about the low expectations facing the organization headed into the start of the regular season. 

Media pundits have pegged his squad to be a subpar, under .500 football team. Only the Houston Texans are viewed as worse off than the Lions heading into the 2021 season.

Goff's shown a propensity for blocking out the external noise every step of the way, and with him being the de facto spokesperson for the team, outside of head coach Dan Campbell, it's made a lot of sense. 

At the same time, though, there are very few opportunities for the starting quarterback of a National Football League team to send a forceful message to supporters, and Goff missed out on making a bold, declarative statement about the team he leads. 

Recall, Campbell used his opening press conference, when he was hired, to set the tone for what he envisioned his roster of players would be like. 

Goff needed to take that same approach on Wednesday, ahead of the season opener.

If the losses pile up and the Lions finish well below .500 this season, it will no longer look like as righteous of an act for Goff to keep his feelings concealed from the fans and media alike. 

At that point, the Detroit fanbase will want the 26-year-old passer to be his most authentic self and to show that he cares about what is being said about the franchise. 

So, for right now, Goff can disregard the external expectations that have been placed upon his team, and can get away with it. 

But, if losing does persist for the organization in 2021, as is expected, Goff will need to show emotion much more often and display that he is bothered by all the shots media members are taking against him and his teammates. 

And, doing such will go a long way towards him maintaining the support of the fanbase in the long term.