New Detroit Lions Coach: Jared Goff In 'Upper Echelon' Of Quarterbacks

The Detroit Lions had to replace some coaches this offseason. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson left to coach the Chicago Bears, and Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn left to coach the New York Jets. The biggest questions lie with the offense, as Johnson was credited with being the engine behind the elite numbers. However, the roster is still intact. They didn’t lose any key pieces and added some new weapons in the draft. Former Stanford head coach David Shaw was brought in as the passing game coordinator and had some high praise for quarterback Jared Goff.

Detroit Lions Coach David Shaw On QB Jared Goff

Jared Goff was an MVP finalist last year and helped the Detroit Lions’ offense be one of the deadliest in the league. Between the running back tandem of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs and the multiple receiving threats, Goff had plenty of weapons to work with. Despite going to the University of California, Shaw came over from the college ranks and had high praise for Goff.

“There’s hunger in Jared that I think is great. You feel it in the meeting room, you feel it when he’s out there with the guys. He’s trying to play up to a standard and bring everybody up along with him. I’ve known Jared and known of Jared for a long time, since probably his junior year of high school, and I’ve got no complaints, I’m just extremely excited. I do have one complaint, he went to Cal, but that’s just a whole other deal. But as far as being in the upper echelon of this league, he absolutely is. I’m really excited to be on the same side with him.”

Shaw is happy to be coaching a veteran who has a proven track record of success. The former number one overall pick has had an up-and-down career, with many questioning whether he is an elite talent or a product of his systems. His best year for the Rams came when the Sean McVay offense was brand new. He thrived with the Detroit Lions when they had an elite offensive line and some of the best weapons in the league. It is a debate that will continue this season.

Elite Or Not?

Shaw is obviously hyping up his guy. It would be weird if he came to a press conference with his new team and badmouthed the MVP-finalist quarterback. There are arguments that Jared Goff isn’t elite, but the fact remains that he has done a lot of winning in the past few years. A bad quarterback wouldn’t win games, and a mediocre quarterback would likely crumble in big games. Goff has proven he can play in big games and perform. Even if he isn’t elite, he is at the very least very good.

Final Thoughts

Goff and the Detroit Lions will be under enormous pressure this season. Last year, they had a favorable schedule and some of the best coordinators in the league. We will now get to see how critical Ben Johnson was to the offense. Can they defend their division crown in 2025?