By Blessing 
Dan Campbell’s Offseason Focus: Jared Goff’s Growing Role in the Lions’ Future
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is deep in offseason preparations, determined to build on the team’s recent success. After two record-breaking seasons, the Lions have come close but haven’t yet reached the ultimate goal—a Super Bowl appearance. That challenge is driving Campbell and his staff as they shape their 2025 roster.
At the heart of Detroit’s aspirations is quarterback Jared Goff. During the NFL owners’ meetings on April 1, Campbell made it clear that Goff’s role in the team’s success is bigger than ever.
Jared Goff: The Key to Detroit’s Offense
Earlier this year, new offensive coordinator John Morton sat down with Dan Miller of Fox2 and emphasized just how much the offense will revolve around Goff.
“I think it’s big with the quarterback,” Morton said. “Kind of knowing him and when I was here, I was in the quarterback room. I have a feel of what he likes, what he doesn’t. That’s important as a play caller. We’ll continue here when the players come back and stuff, so I’ll get to know more about him and the plays that he really likes a lot and what they’ve been doing good here.”
Morton’s familiarity with Goff from his previous time in Detroit gives him an advantage as he steps into his new role. Now, the challenge is ensuring the offense continues to thrive with Goff at the helm.
During his media availability at the owners’ meetings, Campbell echoed that sentiment, reinforcing how central Goff will be to the team’s offensive success.
“Growth? Look, he continues to grow every year,” Campbell said. “And I’d say the next step for him — and he knows this every year, like last year, he came to us, everything we wanted him to do in the offense he did. And then he began to bring stuff to us.”
Campbell highlighted how Goff’s confidence and command of the offense have evolved.
“Hey man, I can see this look. Let me get to this play. I know I’ve got these options in the bag, but let me get to this as well,” Campbell said, describing Goff’s growing influence. “Those are the things where he’s, ‘OK, here we go man.’ That’s beginning to show. And I would anticipate that to take another step up.”
A Bigger Leadership Role for Goff
NFL analyst Brad Berreman of SideLion Report recently broke down Campbell’s comments, noting, “Dan Campbell expects Jared Goff to take more control of the Lions’ offense.”
Berreman pointed out that Goff’s performance saw a noticeable improvement under former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who involved him in the game-planning process and tailored plays to his strengths. That approach isn’t changing under Morton.
“Goff’s play improved when Johnson became offensive coordinator, included him in the planning process, and honed in on what he liked and did best,” Berreman said. “Morton won’t be reinventing that wheel, and in concert with that, Campbell expects his quarterback to take greater control of the Lions’ offense.”
That philosophy aligns perfectly with Morton’s own words. He made it clear during his Fox2 interview that he isn’t looking to overhaul what’s already working.
“They’ve already established a philosophy here,” Morton said. “It’s just my job to continue the vision of how Dan (Campbell) wants things. We’ll tinker with things here and there, and we’ll see how we can make it better.”
The Road Ahead
As the Lions gear up for another run, the message is clear—Jared Goff will have an even greater role in leading the offense. With Campbell, Morton, and the rest of the staff fully behind him, Detroit is hoping this next evolution of Goff’s game will be the key to taking them to the next level.