By Blessing 
Jared Goff has proven himself to be a solid and reliable quarterback in the NFL, but last season, he quietly stood out in an area that may catch many fans and analysts off guard.
After a rocky start to his time in Detroit, Goff has been on an impressive trajectory. Over the past three-plus seasons, he’s played at a level that puts him among the league’s best. In 2024, he had a career year—posting personal bests in passing yards (4,629), touchdown passes (37), and a stellar 111.8 passer rating.
Heading into 2025, however, there are a few clouds of uncertainty. For one, Detroit is moving forward without offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, a big part of Goff’s recent success. Also, as good as Goff has been, there’s an understanding of what he still struggles with.
One major concern is how he handles pressure. When longtime center Frank Ragnow announced his retirement in early June, it only added to that concern. ESPN’s Mina Kimes put it delicately, calling Goff “an incredibly ‘pressure sensitive’ quarterback.”
It’s true that most quarterbacks see a drop in performance when pressured compared to when they have a clean pocket. But in Goff’s case, the decline can be more pronounced than others. The data backs up what many have seen on film: when he’s under pressure, his effectiveness takes a noticeable hit.
But here’s where things get interesting.
According to Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus (PFF), Goff actually excelled in a very specific situation last season—throwing with more than 2.5 seconds after the snap. Cameron analyzed quarterbacks based on the time it took them to get rid of the ball, with a minimum of 100 dropbacks in each time frame.
In the list of top 10 quarterbacks with the highest PFF passing grade on dropbacks where they held the ball for more than 2.5 seconds, you’ll find the usual suspects—Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jayden Daniels, Kyler Murray, and Joe Burrow. Surprisingly, Goff made that list too, ranking ninth with a 77.5 PFF passing grade. Even more impressive, he led all quarterbacks in two key areas.
“Jared Goff continues to make strides in this facet,” Cameron wrote. “The Lions quarterback may not extend plays like some other names on this list, but he knows how to buy time for route concepts to develop downfield. He not only racked up the most yards per attempt on this list (9.7) but also managed to pace the league in rate of accurately thrown balls (65.5%).”
This kind of success doesn’t come from scrambling ability like a Lamar or a Kyler. Instead, Goff has shown a knack for subtle pocket movement—similar to what Tom Brady did so well for years. Brady was never fast, but he knew how to slide and shift just enough to find open throwing lanes. Goff, at times, has mirrored that skill, and the numbers back it up.
The big question now: can Goff maintain this level of play with a new offensive coordinator and a new face snapping the ball?