Jared Goff's redemption story could put him among NFL elite after 2024 season

Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff began his career with the Los Angeles Rams, and was once a QB that many people were simply forgetting about. Goff was playing quite well during a two-year stretch with the LA Rams from 2017-2018. During those two seasons, he tossed 60 touchdowns against 19 interceptions and earned a stellar passer rating of 100.8.

The Rams went 24-7 in his starts and appeared in the Super Bowl in 2018. However, the 2019 and 2020 seasons for Goff were ones to forget. The Rams went just 18-13 in his 31 starts, and Goff threw 42 touchdowns against 29 interceptions, earning a 88.1 passer rating. At that point, he seemed to be figured out, and the Rams had had enough.

They sent him to the then-lowly Detroit Lions, and the goal was to acquire Matthew Stafford. In their first year together, Stafford and the Rams won the Super Bowl, and Goff and the Lions went 3-10-1 together.

And then, something changed. The culture shifted in Detroit. The coaching started to stick, and new faces on both sides of the ball began slowly getting this team back on track. In 2022, the Lions went 9-8, and in 2023, they went 12-5. The last two seasons have been quite outstanding from Jared Goff, and it's clear how good the Lions offense was in 2023.

Over the last two seasons, Goff has really rebuilt himself; he's posted a 21-13 record, throwing for 59 touchdowns against 19 interceptions, earning a 98.6 passer rating. The Lions made it to the NFC Championship Game this past season, and that successful year earned Goff a long-term extension.

All of a sudden, Jared Goff is again on the cusp of being among the NFL's elite at the position. He's got a winning record now with both the Rams and the Lions, and owns a 4-4 playoff record. Right now, he's in position to really begin to cement a no-doubt status among the top NFL quarterbacks, and it's been a long time coming since being tossed aside by the Los Angeles Rams.