The Lions continued their big offseason Monday by signing Jared Goff to a four-year, $212-million ($53 million per year) extension, CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones confirmed. It makes Goff not only the highest-paid player in franchise history, but the second highest-paid quarterback in the NFL by average annual value, behind only Joe Burrow ($55 million per year). Goff’s deal also includes $170 million guaranteed, Jones confirms.
Goff, 29, is fresh off leading the Lions to their first NFC Championship game since 1991 and symbolizes Detroit’s resurgence as a whole. Over the last two years, he ranks in the top 10 in several key categories.
| Jared Goff Since 2022 | NFL Rank | |
|---|---|---|
|
Pass TD |
59 |
T-3rd |
|
Yds per att |
7.6 |
7th |
|
TD-Int ratio |
3.1 |
2nd |
|
Sack rate |
4.3% |
3rd |
|
Expected points added per dropback |
0.13 |
6th |
As with any major deal, there are ripple effects across the NFL. Here are the winners and losers from Goff cashing in.
Winner: Jared Goff
This one is obvious, and not just for the money. When the Lions dealt Matthew Stafford to the Rams in early 2021, Goff was thrown into a tough situation, and his career as a starter seemed to hang in the balance. Two seasons after leading Los Angeles to a Super Bowl appearance, he was heading to a Detroit team with a first-year head coach (Dan Campbell) and low expectations. It’s hard to remember now because Detroit and, in turn, Goff have become such feel-good stories, but 2021 was rough. The Lions went 3-13-1, and even though Goff had a solid season, things could have gone in a number of directions.
They all went in Goff’s direction. Most importantly, Detroit promoted Ben Johnson to take over for Anthony Lynn at offensive coordinator. It also got major leaps from second-year players Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell, and a talented offensive line came together. Goff delivered in a major way, earning a Pro Bowl nod.
Things could have really gone off the rails for Goff after his unceremonious LA exit. Instead, he persevered and improved. Last month, Goff said the trade was, “the greatest thing that ever happened to me, for my career and my development as a human.” Now he’s getting paid like it.
Winner: Amon-Ra St. Brown and the rest of the Lions’ core
Goff’s signing continues the Lions’ commitment to keeping the pillars of their offense around for the long haul. On April 24, they signed St. Brown to a four-year, $120-million extension and Sewell to a four-year, $112-million extension. So it’s been a great offseason for the Lions but also a great offseason for the Lions’ top players: The team has shown a major financial commitment to those who have earned it. That bodes well for a guy like Aidan Hutchinson, who becomes extension-eligible next offseason, too.
As for one single player, St. Brown might be the biggest beneficiary long-term. Fresh off a 119-reception season, St. Brown has established elite chemistry from Goff and is an excellent fit for Goff’s strengths. Goff is a strong-armed quarterback who can deliver intermediate-depth balls over the middle with the best of them. Over the past two seasons, St. Brown’s 129 receptions on passes between the numbers rank third in the NFL, only behind Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill.
Winner: Ben Johnson
Johnson has been a hot name on the coaching carousel for the past two offseasons. He turned down interviews in 2023 to stick with Detroit, and after taking several interviews in 2024, he again elected to stay in the Motor City, even backing out of the Commanders‘ search as team brass were on their way to Detroit. Johnson has breathed life into Goff’s comeback by blending a strong running game, effective play-action, creative designs that accentuate Goff’s strengths and intelligent play-calling. Johnson’s commitment to Detroit is being repaid in full.
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Loser: Dallas Cowboys
Depending on how you view it, the Cowboys are a loser and Dak Prescott is a winner. Let’s focus on the former. Dallas has strung out extending Prescott far too long, and Goff is now yet another development that gives Prescott the upper hand in negotiations. Dallas has waffled back and forth, with the latest development being executive vice president Stephen Jones saying getting a new contract done is a “priority.” Back in March, however, NFL Media reported Prescott could play out the final year of his four-year, $160-million deal without an extension. Whatever the case is, Prescott’s price tag just went up, and that’s a daunting prospect for a Cowboys team that also needs to pay CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons, among others.
Loser: Hendon Hooker
It’s hard to deem Hooker too much of a “loser,” but the 2023 third-round pick is now slotted into Detroit’s backup role for the foreseeable future. That’s not really a bad thing — he’ll continue to learn behind an accomplished veteran quarterback and under a terrific offensive coordinator — but it may be a tough pill to swallow that as long as Goff stays healthy, Hooker won’t see the field much.
