With the Detroit Lions season almost underway, they will be led once again by star quarterback Jared Goff who is coming off of signing a four-year, $212 million contract. Lions general manager Brad Holmes who spoke to the media Thursday about a bevy of topics, touched on Goff and the type of player he is for this team.
The Lions have gone through a resurgence under Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell where Goff has been instrumental in leading the team to their most successful season in recent memory. If there was even a shred of doubt from the franchise, it should be 100 percent gone as Holmes had a nine word endorsement for the 29-year old quarterback according to NBC Sports.
“He’s the right guy, he’s the leader for us,” Holmes said.
Lions' Brad Holmes has seen first-hand the growth of Jared Goff
Last season for the Lions, Goff threw for 4,575 yards to go along with 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in what was his third season with the organization after starting the first five years of his career with the Los Angeles Rams. The former No. 1 overall pick out of the University of California has proved he wasn't damaged goods as some might've discussed coming from his prior team as Holmes would sing his praises as he was even on the Rams with Goff.
“He didn’t need a contract to go out there and do what he does on the field, he truly earned that,” Holmes said Thursday. “I have not seen a change in him. If anything, it’s been better just because it’s another year of the continuity that — I give Dan [Campbell] a lot of credit in terms of the continuity that he’s had with the coaching staff. That’s obviously helped, and we have a lot of familiar faces along with that too. I see it being even better.
“It’s been amazing to see his growth as a player ever since our days back with the Rams with him,” Holmes continued. “But yeah, I’m not going to say that he needed the contract to elevate him, he was already elevating, playing at a high level, but I do think it’s going to be better for all the other things I named.”
Sam LaPorta looks up to Lions' Jared Goff and his consistency
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Goff also is one of the leaders on the team as some have even came out in support of him like Lions talented tight end Sam LaPorta who is coming off an impressive rookie campaign . He would especially credit his “consistency,” saying that there is no one more like that on the team than Goff.
“I say this about Jared frequently, but he’s the same person every day,” LaPorta said. “You’re not going to find someone more consistent than Jared Goff in our building. And for him to be leading the team, you need to have consistency. You’re going to have good and bad days in the NFL — it’s just the nature of the game and how competitive this league is. But, he shows up every day, he works, and he sets the example and he sets the tone in the building.”
The Lions have gold on their mind as they open the upcoming season on Sunday, Sept. 8 against the Rams.
