This quote from Detroit Lions General Manager Brad Holmes captures a moment of both clarity and conviction—one that would come to redefine a franchise that had been starved for identity, stability, and success. When the Lions traded franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in early 2021, acquiring Jared Goff and a package of draft picks in return, it was widely seen as a strategic move centered on future potential. The narrative spun quickly: the Lions were rebuilding, the Rams were going all-in for a Super Bowl, and Goff was little more than a placeholder—an overpaid quarterback with diminishing returns being passed off like a burdensome asset. For many, this was a salary dump in disguise, a necessary evil in the business of reshaping a team from the ground up.
But Holmes’ perspective was different from the outset. As a former executive with the Rams, he had been part of the front office that drafted Goff first overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. He had seen the young quarterback grow, falter, adapt, and succeed. He had watched Goff lead the Rams to a Super Bowl appearance in just his third season as a starter. Holmes knew Goff’s strengths: his quick release, his football IQ, his ability to thrive in structured offensive systems. He also understood his limitations and the external criticisms that followed Goff after his uneven play during his final seasons in Los Angeles. But most importantly, Holmes believed in the person, not just the player. He knew Goff was more than a contract, more than the sum of his stats and salary cap figure.
Still, belief alone doesn’t change public opinion. When Goff arrived in Detroit, the bar was set remarkably low. The Lions were a team in transition, with a first-year head coach in Dan Campbell, a reshaped front office, and a roster that lacked elite talent. Goff’s presence didn’t spark headlines of hope. Pundits predicted that the Lions would use one of their high draft picks to find their next quarterback, viewing Goff merely as a bridge to the future. The narrative had already been written: the Lions were rebuilding, and Goff was a temporary passenger on that journey.
What unfolded over the next two seasons, however, was something different—something special. In his first year with the team, Goff battled through inconsistency and growing pains, but he also showed flashes of the poise and accuracy that had once made him a Pro Bowler. As the team developed around him—with a reinforced offensive line, a dynamic run game, and emerging playmakers at receiver—Goff began to settle into a leadership role. He didn’t just survive in Detroit; he began to thrive.
Holmes’ decision to bring Goff to Detroit wasn’t based on blind loyalty. It was rooted in a long-term vision of building a team with resilience, character, and competitive edge. Goff, despite all the skepticism, embodied those values. He was accountable, steady, and unshaken by the noise. He didn’t bristle at being overlooked or doubted. Instead, he embraced the challenge, took ownership of the offense, and earned the respect of his teammates. That kind of mentality can’t be faked, and it certainly can’t be bought. It has to be real.
By the 2022 season, the narrative had begun to shift. Goff led the Lions to a winning record and helped orchestrate one of the most efficient offenses in the NFL. He threw for over 4,400 yards, had one of the best touchdown-to-interception ratios in the league, and guided the team to a strong finish, narrowly missing the playoffs. The doubters began to quiet. Goff wasn’t just managing games—he was making plays, winning games, and outdueling some of the league’s top quarterbacks. The team rallied behind him. He had become not just a quarterback, but a leader.
That shift wasn’t lost on the Lions organization, and certainly not on Holmes. Goff wasn’t merely proving the critics wrong—he was validating Holmes’ faith in him. The trade, once viewed as a means to an end, began to look like a masterstroke in roster construction. With the draft picks acquired in the Stafford trade, the Lions built a core of young talent that energized the roster. With Goff under center, they had a quarterback who not only understood the system but helped bring it to life.
In 2023, Goff’s performance continued to elevate. He played with confidence and command, spreading the ball around, making smart decisions, and showing veteran savvy in high-pressure moments. The Lions were no longer an afterthought in the NFC—they were contenders. And Goff was a central reason why. His connection with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson allowed Detroit to operate one of the most creative and explosive offenses in football. The idea of drafting Goff’s replacement began to fade. Instead, the conversation shifted to extension talks, long-term planning, and sustaining success around a quarterback who had fully earned his place.
For Holmes, watching Goff lead this resurgence wasn’t just professionally satisfying—it was personally meaningful. In a league that often discards players quickly and leans heavily on perception, Holmes had trusted what he knew to be true. Goff was a competitor. He was a stabilizer. He was, in the right environment, a winner. That belief had fueled a franchise reset, and now it was fueling real optimism in Detroit.
It’s rare in the NFL for a narrative to shift so completely, for a player once labeled as a stopgap to become a cornerstone. But that’s exactly what happened. Goff’s journey from Los Angeles to Detroit has been one of resilience, reinvention, and redemption. And while the media may have focused on draft picks and salary dumps, Holmes had focused on something much harder to quantify: character.
The Goff trade, in hindsight, wasn’t about unloading a contract. It wasn’t about tanking for draft capital. It wasn’t even just about a quarterback swap. It was about trusting in a vision, recognizing potential, and believing in a player who many had written off. Holmes knew who Jared Goff was. Now, the rest of the league knows too.
