By Blessing 
Jared Goff Under Scrutiny as Lions Enter Crucial 2025 Season
As the Detroit Lions gear up for a pivotal 2025 campaign, quarterback Jared Goff finds himself in the middle of an increasingly intense spotlight. The offseason brought significant changes to the team—on both the roster and coaching staff—and many are now asking if Goff is truly the man to lead Detroit to the next level.
While general manager Brad Holmes publicly pushes back against labeling this moment as a “Super Bowl window,” the reality speaks for itself. The Lions are packed with talent, and expectations are sky-high. With their defense expected to improve simply by staying healthier than last year, the pressure falls squarely on Goff and the offense to push Detroit over the playoff hump.
Following a devastating playoff exit at the hands of the Washington Commanders, Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon didn’t hold back in his post-season assessment.
“The Lions have too much talent not to bounce back in 2025, but the conclusion to 2024 has to leave you wondering if this franchise can actually make a Super Bowl run with Jared Goff leading the offense.”
That sentiment was echoed by CBS Sports analyst Jeff Kerr, who listed Goff among the top five NFL quarterbacks under the most pressure to deliver a Super Bowl win this season.
Goff had an impressive regular season statistically—posting career highs with 37 touchdowns and a QBR of 68.4—but his performance in the divisional round left fans and analysts alike disappointed. Despite suffering a concussion during that game, Goff was cleared to return, yet his mistakes played a major role in the loss. He was responsible for four of the team’s five turnovers, throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble. If it hadn’t been for a poor showing from Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold in the season finale, Goff’s collapse might’ve faced even more scrutiny.
The doubts surrounding him aren’t going away anytime soon—especially as his contract extension starts to weigh more heavily on the Lions’ salary cap. The question remains: can Goff be the difference-maker when it matters most?
In a recent collaborative piece by ESPN’s NFC North beat writers, the panel tackled the question: Which quarterback in the division has the most to prove? Predictably, many would point to the rookie passers—Caleb Williams in Chicago or J.J. McCarthy in Minnesota. But Lions beat writer Eric Woodyard offered a different perspective, placing Goff in the hot seat.
“So the question remains: Can Goff help the team win a Super Bowl? He has yet to prove that despite all of his individual success,” Woodyard wrote, referencing Goff’s playoff meltdown and casting doubt over his championship potential.
Adding fuel to that discussion, ESPN’s Peter Schrager joined the conversation during Monday’s episode of Get Up with an emphatic statement.
“I think Jared Goff is the single most important player in the NFC this season,” Schrager declared. “There has been a raid of his coaching staff from the last several years, six different coaches gone including Ben Johnson, and now you’re telling me that Frank Ragnow, his longtime center, in addition to other members of the offensive line, are no longer there as well?”
He continued with a pointed challenge:
“And now you’ve got to say, ‘Hey, we pay you big money.’ Jared Goff, are we gonna be the same team or are we gonna take a massive step back? Because if he is one of those top quarterbacks, they should still be the best team in the NFC North this year.”
With a new offensive coordinator in place and the absence of trusted veterans like Ragnow, Goff is entering 2025 surrounded by unfamiliar variables. It’s now on him to silence the critics and show he can thrive in spite of adversity. If he doesn’t rise to the occasion and the Lions underperform, the voices of doubt will only grow louder—and this time, they may be harder to ignore.