The Detroit Lions acquired Jared Goff in 2021 in exchange for longstanding franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford, who went on to join the Los Angeles Rams.
Detroit received a significant selection package in addition to Goff, including Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Brodric Martin, Josh Paschal, and Ifeatu Melifonwu. As part of the agreement, Williams, Gibbs, and LaPorta will headline this package alongside Goff. It was a blockbuster at the time and still is today, but Stafford has already led the Rams to a Super Bowl victory.
Goff hasn’t quite yet.
That’s why Lions general manager Brad Holmes’ latest comments are so intriguing. Holmes spoke with ESPN’s Field Yates about the club and said he believes the transaction he signed off on will be remembered as one of the best performed in NFL history.
Holmes discusses how the Goff trade is one of the best in NFL history.
“When we completed the deal and you heard all the ‘that was a money dump,’ I said, ‘Look, Jared Goff… I knew what he was about and how he was wired. I believe we all suffer from the recency bias. And the last thing I remember is him leaving the playoffs, losing a Super Bowl, and I’m sitting here like… I had no idea your career was defined at 24, 25, or whatever age he was at the time. “He had a lot of early success,” Holmes stated in the interview.
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Holmes reflected on the trade, saying, “There were some rough patches toward the end, but I always believed in his talent, intelligence, and mental toughness. I knew he was a resilient quarterback, which is why I thought this team was the right place for him. And clearly, the trade paid off. If you were ranking all-time trades, this one has to be near the top for what it did for both us and the Rams.”
Holmes is justified in saying the trade has benefited both franchises. The Rams secured a Super Bowl title, while the Lions acquired a solid foundation of young talent. That said, Jared Goff has yet to take Detroit to its first Super Bowl, something that remains a major benchmark. The 2023 season was perhaps their best opportunity, but injuries derailed their playoff run.
Should Goff eventually lead the Lions to a Super Bowl, the trade could be viewed as one of the greatest in league history. But until that happens, the deal feels a bit uneven—despite the promising players Detroit picked up through it. Holmes’ optimistic view might not hold up as well if Goff can’t deliver that long-awaited breakthrough.
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