By Blessing 
Jared Goff Opens Up About Emotional Journey to Detroit: “That moment… was special”
When Jared Goff arrived in Detroit, it wasn’t through a glamorous draft night or a celebratory free agency signing. He came in as part of a trade that many saw as the beginning of the end for his NFL career. But for Goff, the move to the Lions turned out to be something much more meaningful—a fresh start and a chance to rewrite his story.
After things soured with the Los Angeles Rams, Goff’s trade value had dipped. That’s when Lions general manager Brad Holmes made the call that would bring him to Detroit. Along with Goff, the Lions acquired a collection of first-round picks that later turned into standout players like Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, and Jameson Williams. But what many didn’t realize at the time was that Detroit was also getting a quarterback with something to prove—and a heart wide open to growth.
Goff’s transition and emotional connection to the Lions were recently highlighted in Netflix’s Quarterback series, where he shares the raw, behind-the-scenes truth about how the trade impacted him.
In one particularly moving moment, Goff reflects on how the Rams seemed to believe Detroit would be where his career “died.” But that assumption couldn’t have been further from the truth. Instead of defeat, Goff found something he hadn’t felt in a while: belief.
He recalled the phone call from Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell after the trade—something that stuck with him deeply. Choking up during the interview, Goff shared, “That moment of hearing them on the phone, knowing that the opportunity I had here was special.”
The quarterback went on to describe how that conversation marked a turning point. For the first time in a long time, he felt like someone genuinely believed in him and was willing to build something special together.
The show also includes commentary from Holmes and Campbell, who both saw Goff not just as a placeholder, but as a cornerstone of their rebuild.
Holmes said. “I just thought he’d be a good fit for the journey we were about to take.”
And what a journey it’s been.
Detroit struggled early on after the trade, posting a 5-11 record in 2020, followed by a tough 3-13 season in 2021. But then the tide began to turn. In 2022, the Lions finished 9-8, followed by an even more impressive 12-5 season. Last year, they stunned the league with a 15-2 regular-season run, cementing themselves as one of the NFL’s elite teams.
As the 2025 season approaches, Goff remains at the center of it all. He’ll be without longtime center Frank Ragnow, but most of his offensive weapons are returning. And the trust from Detroit’s leadership remains unwavering.
For Goff, what began as a perceived setback has turned into the most rewarding chapter of his career.
Instead of letting the trade define him, he used it as motivation—and in doing so, helped reshape the identity of an entire franchise.