Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur has always been a big fan of Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, dating back to when the two were together with the Los Angeles Rams.
Goff was the first overall pick by the Rams in 2016 but had a rough start to his NFL career. Los Angeles lost all seven games he started as a rookie, and Goff completed just 54 percent of his passes.
However, Goff saw a resurgence the following year when LaFleur took over as the offensive coordinator, passing for 3,804 yards and 28 touchdowns. He led Los Angeles to its first playoff appearance in 13 years and was even named to his first Pro Bowl.
Such a quick turnaround isn’t easy for a young quarterback, but LaFleur said it didn’t take long to notice Goff’s resilience.
“That was evident right when we got with him,” said LaFleur. “He had seven starts as a rookie and there wasn’t a whole lot of success there from a team standpoint. I always thought he approached the game the right way…keeping a level head, the moment was never too big for him.”
Unfortunately for Goff, LaFleur moved on after the 2017 season to become the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans. Then, despite the Rams reaching the playoffs in three out of five seasons with Goff as the starting quarterback, they traded him to Detroit in exchange for veteran Matthew Stafford, hoping for better postseason success.
While Stafford did go on to help Los Angeles to a victory in Super Bowl LVI, Goff has since been an integral part of another successful rebuild with the Lions. After finishing 3-10-1 in its first season with Goff under center, Detroit was one game away from the playoffs in 2022. Then, in 2023, the Lions won the NFC North Division with a 12-5 record, clinching their first division title in 30 years.
“It’s a credit to his work ethic and his ability to stay resilient. I’m not surprised by the success he has had and is having,” LaFleur said. “He’s playing the position as well as anybody in the game right now. Just look at the numbers, they tell you everything, and then you watch the tape and it backs it up.”
During Detroit’s 6-1 start this season, Goff has completed a career-high 74.1 percent of his passes for 1,695 passing yards and 13 touchdowns, with only four interceptions. Meanwhile, their offense ranks sixth in the NFL in yards per game and first in points per game.
The Packers will try to limit Goff and the offense’s impact as much as possible on Sunday. Goff is 5-2 in his career against Green Bay, and while LaFleur has been rooting for Goff from afar, he hopes his former quarterback won’t have much success later this week.
“Always been a big fan of his, just won’t be a big fan of his on Sunday.”