Former USC Trojans star Amon-Ra St. Brown has developed into one of the best wide receivers in the NFL for the Detroit Lions. Outside of excellent coaching, dedicated physical training, and St. Brown's God-given ability, having a four-time Pro Bowl quarterback and former No. 1 overall draft pick, Jared Goff, as the signal caller for the Lions offense has been as big of a factor as any.
The dynamic duo has been one of the better quarterback-wide receiver connections in the NFL and in a list by Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranking the best quarterback-pass catcher duos, Goff and St. Brown came in at No. 6 among active duos. Honestly, there’s a legitimate argument that the duo is ranked too low, as statistically, they’ve been near the top of any combination in the league.
“Over the past two seasons, no quarterback-pass catcher duo has generated more yards than Goff and St. Brown (3,260). Goff’s 126.8 passer rating when targeting St. Brown ranks second only to Jayden Daniels’ 131.5 when targeting Terry McLaurin,” PFF analyst Trevor Sikkema said.
Beyond the numbers, St. Brown and Goff have a synchronization that surpasses basic scheme and technique. They both seemingly know what the other is thinking when they’re on the field. Being able to improvise or anticipate the next move from each other allows for a comfortable free flow when things aren’t ideal, but also a sense of reliability in situations on third and fourth downs.
"If you are a quarterback, and we have a dang good one, but it is easy to throw to a guy like St. Brown because he gets open, he has body control, balance, he can separate, he's got quickness, he has play speed, strong hands," Lions coach Dan Campbell said this past season. "His body demeanor tells you that if I am the quarterback, you have a really good idea of what he is doing. They have done it long enough where they can think without speaking. They know each other, what they are getting ready to do and all that. It is special, and they make each other better."
Goff has played with some excellent receivers over the course of his career, most notably the likes of former All-Pro Cooper Kupp. Still, by Goff’s own admission, he’s never had a target as reliable and as consistent as St. Brown had been. One of the biggest reasons why St. Brown is such a consistent player on the field is because of how much work he puts in off the field.
"He's the friendliest target I've ever thrown to, and I'm lucky to play with him," said Goff said after a Packers win last season. "I hope to play with him for quite some time. He's a hard worker. He does everything right. I love him. He's great."
St. Brown is still young in his career, but with quarterback shelf life at an all-time high, the connection with Jared Goff should last for years to come.
