Jared Goff was traded to the Detroit Lions, along with the Los Angeles Rams’ first-round picks in the 2022 and 2023 NFL Drafts and a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, for Matthew Stafford ahead of the 2021 season. The move worked out for both sides, as the Rams went on to win the Super Bowl in its first season with their new quarterback.
Meanwhile, Detroit has had back-to-back ten-win seasons for the first time in franchise history. Goff signed a four-year, $212 million contract extension that includes $170 million in guarantees ahead of the 2024 season. He followed that up by leading the Lions to their best season of all time, finishing 15-2 and securing the No.1 NFC seed.
Goff played a big role in that as he threw for 4,629 yards, 37 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 72.4% of his passes and leading the league’s top-ranked scoring offense. Lions general manager Brad Holmes recently discussed the decision to receive the four-time Pro Bowler as part of the deal.
Lions GM Brad Holmes Reveals Reasoning Behind Receiving Jared Goff in Matthew Stafford Deal
Following his last season in Los Angeles, Goff was primarily viewed as a draft bust, with many believing that his career was fizzling out. However, he has completely revitalized the narrative around him during his four years with the Lions, as his performance and the team’s record have improved each season.
In a preview for season two of the Netflix series “Quarterback”, Holmes discussed his decision to land the quarterback, stating:
“When we got the opportunity to land him, it was a no-brainer because I had an idea of what we were going to start going through and knew how resilient he was and just thought that he’d be a good fit for the journey we’re about to take.”
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Holmes scouted with the Rams from 2003 to 2012. He was promoted to director of college scouting ahead of the 2013 season and remained in the role through 2020, making him very familiar with Goff. He was part of the front office that drafted the quarterback first overall in the 2016 NFL Draft.
He was named the Lions’ general manager in January 2021, just two months before the blockbuster deal to move long-time franchise quarterback Stafford to Los Angeles for Goff. The trade marked his first move as general manager and has ultimately paid off. Holmes has been considered one of the best in the NFL at his role due to how he has turned things for the franchise.
With Goff leading the offense, the Lions enter the 2025 season focused on building momentum and making a strong playoff push under Holmes’ leadership.