Over the last two years, the Detroit Lions have given the fan base in Motor City a lot to be proud of. Turning in back-to-back seasons where they looked like legitimate Super Bowl contenders, Jared Goff was at the center of the entire operation for Detroit. Unfortunately, both seasons came to an end in heartbreaking fashion, with brutal losses in the playoffs.
Beyond the emotional toll of those two losses, this season presents a wholly unique problem for Goff and the Lions. A verifiable offensive genius in Ben Johnson is no longer on the sidelines as the offensive coordinator. As a result, the offense is going to have some growing pains to get through. But will that alteration change head coach Dan Campbell’s mindset when it comes to playing his superstar quarterback in the preseason?
Will Jared Goff Suit Up Against the Atlanta Falcons?
Historically, Campbell has been against the idea of giving his stars a ton of reps in preseason. Even last week, as part of the Hall of Fame Game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Goff didn’t see the field for a single snap.
A similar trend is expected to continue this week. The official website for the Lions confirmed that Hendon Hooker will get the starting nod after Campbell experimented with Kyle Allen as the starter in the first half last week.
“I think of Hooker as just keep diving into the work, keep getting the reps, and he just needs some small victories,” Campbell said of the youngster. “He’s working, he grinds at it, he’s very coachable, he certainly has the ability. He’s going to get his opportunity.”
For Goff, that continues the recent trend of starting off slow in the preseason, both in a bid to ease his workload and to prevent any injuries for the veteran starter. With a four-year extension worth $212 million under his belt, it is understandable that Detroit wants to protect its investment.
And, judging by the work the coach-quarterback combo has done over the last two years, the recipe is certainly a success for them. However, this year is markedly different for the Lions. The heartbreaking losses to the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Commanders could take a toll on the roster.
The Detroit #Lions really miss Ben Johnson as their offensive coordinator.
pic.twitter.com/NBskaswg5d— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) August 1, 2025
More significantly, losing Johnson, along with veteran offensive linemen Kevin Zeitler and Frank Ragnow, might affect an offense that was the best-ranked unit on PFSN’s Offense+ metric. Goff is still going to be the linchpin to ensure things move along smoothly.
But it might be a while before fans get a clear idea of how things stand with the new-look Detroit squad.
