Jared Thomas Goff (born October 14, 1994) is an American professional football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2015 and setting Pac-12 Conference single-season records for passing yards and passing touchdowns. Selected first overall by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2016 NFL draft, Goff had a breakout season in 2017, leading the Rams to their first playoff appearance since 2004. The following year, Goff led Los Angeles to Super Bowl LIII. He received Pro Bowl honors in both seasons.
Amid a decline in production, Goff was traded to the Lions in 2021. Two years later, he led the team to their first playoff win since 1991 en route to an appearance in the NFC Championship Game. A year later, Goff helped the Lions clinch consecutive division titles for the first time since 1954. Goff was named to the Pro Bowl both seasons.
Early life Goff was born on October 14, 1994, in San Rafael, California, and raised in Novato, California, the son of Jerry Goff, a former Major League Baseball player. He has an older sister named Lauren. Goff grew up as a San Francisco 49ers fan and wore the number 16 as a tribute to Joe Montana, who played for the 49ers before Goff was born.
Goff attended Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield, California, and graduated in 2013. He played for the football team, throwing for 7,687 yards and 93 touchdowns with 18 interceptions in three varsity seasons at Marin Catholic, completing 477-of-767 passes (62.2%), equal to a passer rating of 125.5, for teams that combined to post a 39–4 overall record and 21–0 Marin County Athletic League mark on their way to an appearance in the state title game, a North Coast Section crown, three NCS playoff appearances, and three MCAL championships. Goff also played basketball and baseball for Marin Catholic.
College career Goff was recruited by a number of college programs and received scholarship offers from Boise State, Fresno State, and Washington State before choosing to attend the University of California, Berkeley. He was a mid-year enrollee at Cal in January 2013 and joined the Golden Bears for 2013 spring practices. In August, Goff was named starting quarterback for the 2013 season over redshirt freshman quarterback Zach Kline, becoming the first true freshman quarterback in Cal history to start a season opener.
Goff set numerous school records. This included passing yards (12,220), passing yards per game (329.7 ypg), touchdown passes (96), completions (977), passing attempts (1,569), total offense (12,086), and total plays (1,739). He is second only to Aaron Rodgers on Cal's all-time list for passing efficiency (143.95).
2013 season Under new head coach Sonny Dykes, Goff started all 12 games in the 2013 season, and although the team finished 1–11, he set Cal single-season records for passing yards (3,508), yardage gained (3,508), total offense (3,446), passes completed (320), and passes attempted (530). Goff finished his true freshman season with a 60.3 completion percentage with 18 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.
2014 season In 2014, Goff was again the starting quarterback for the Golden Bears. In a September 27 matchup against the Colorado Buffaloes, Goff threw a career-high seven touchdown passes, completing 24 of 42 passes for 458 yards. On October 4, Goff threw for a new career-high and school-record 527 yards and five touchdowns in a 60–59 victory over Washington State. Goff helped lead the Golden Bears to a 5–7 season, a four-win improvement over the 2013 season. He finished the 2014 season with 3,973 yards, 35 touchdowns, and a 62% completion rate, once again setting new school records.
2015 season In 2015, as a junior, Goff led the Bears to a 7–5 regular-season finish, clinching Cal's first winning season since 2011. Going into the season, Goff was projected as the top quarterback for the 2016 NFL draft by Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay. On November 14, 2015, Goff threw for 453 yards and six touchdowns in a 54–24 victory over Oregon State, earning Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors for the first time. Two weeks later, Goff set a new Cal single-game record with 542 passing yards in a 48–46 come-from-behind victory over Arizona State, earning Player of the Week honors for a second time. In the 2015 Armed Forces Bowl, Goff threw for six touchdown passes and 467 yards, leading the Bears to a 55–36 victory over Air Force.
In 2015, Goff set a new Pac-12 single-season passing-yardage record (4,714), and also set a new conference record for touchdown passes in a season (43). He earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors. He was the first Cal quarterback to earn first-team All-Pac-12 honors since Rodgers in 2004 while leading an 8–5 Cal team to a winning record and bowl game for the first time since 2011 as well as a post-season win for the first time since 2008.
During Goff's time as quarterback, the Golden Bears never beat an in-state rival, going 0–9 against Stanford, UCLA, and USC, and they also went 0–3 against division rival Oregon. Goff's father has been quoted as saying the lack of a marquee win bothered his son. Goff majored in sociology during his time at Cal.
After his junior season, Goff announced his decision to forgo his senior season and enter the 2016 NFL draft.
Professional career
Pre-draft
In mid-February 2016, most analysts had Goff projected to be selected in the early first round of the draft, with the second overall pick of the Cleveland Browns being his most frequently predicted landing spot, or the San Francisco 49ers with the seventh overall pick. Despite not excelling at the physical tests at the NFL Scouting Combine, Goff still improved his draft stock with a strong showing in the positional drills. Goff also reportedly scored a 36 on his Wonderlic exam.
Los Angeles Rams
2016 season
Goff was selected first overall by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2016 NFL draft. The Rams had traded up in the first round and acquired the first pick from the Tennessee Titans. Goff was the second Rams quarterback to be taken first overall in six years; the Rams had selected Sam Bradford first overall six years earlier. Goff was the last first round pick made by the Rams until Jared Verse in 2024.
On June 9, 2016, Goff signed a four-year deal with $27.9 million guaranteed, including an $18.6 million signing bonus.
On November 15, Goff was named the Rams' starting quarterback for the game against the Miami Dolphins after spending the first nine games as the backup to veteran quarterback Case Keenum. Goff started the final seven games of the season. On November 20, 2016, he made his professional debut and first NFL start against the Dolphins and completed 17 of 31 attempts for 134 yards in the 14–10 loss. The following week against the New Orleans Saints, he threw his first NFL touchdown on a 24-yard completion to wide receiver Tavon Austin in the first quarter and had his first career interception in the third quarter after being picked off by Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro. Goff finished the 49–21 road loss completing 20-of-32 passes for 214 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.
During a Week 14 42–14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Goff completed 24 of 41 passes for 235 yards and two interceptions. He also had his first NFL rushing touchdown on a two-yard run in the fourth quarter.
As a rookie, Goff made seven starts. The Rams lost each of those games finishing with an overall record of 4–12. Goff completed 112 of 205 passes for 1,089 yards, five touchdowns, and seven interceptions to go along with 16 rushing yards and a touchdown.
2017 season: Playoff debut
Goff entered the season with a new head coach in Sean McVay. During the season-opening 46–9 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, Goff achieved his first professional victory while completing 21-of-29 passes for 306 yards and a touchdown. His performance against the Colts marked his first career game with at least 300 passing yards. Two weeks later against the 49ers, Goff completed 22 of 28 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Rams to a narrow 41–39 road victory.
During a Week 4 35–30 road victory over the Dallas Cowboys, Goff completed 21-of-36 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns. In the next game against the Seattle Seahawks, Goff notably struggled, as he completed only 46.8% of his passes for 288 yards and two interceptions during the 16–10 loss. The following week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Goff threw for 124 yards and a touchdown in a 27–17 road victory.
During a Week 7 33–0 shutout victory over the Arizona Cardinals at Twickenham Stadium, Goff had 235 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Two weeks later against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium, he threw for 311 yards and four touchdowns in the 51–17 road victory. Goff was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance. In the next game against the Houston Texans, Goff finished with 355 passing yards and three touchdowns during the 33–7 victory. In the game, he threw a 94-yard touchdown pass to Robert Woods.
During a Week 12 26–20 victory over the Saints, Goff finished with 354 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Two weeks later against the Philadelphia Eagles, Goff went up against 2016 second overall pick Carson Wentz. Although he completed 16 of 26 attempts for 199 yards and two touchdowns, Goff fumbled the ball in the last minute, resulting in a 43–35 loss. In the next game against the Seahawks, he completed 14-of-21 passes for only 120 yards and two touchdowns during the 42–7 road victory. The following week against the Tennessee Titans, Goff finished with 301 passing yards and four touchdowns in the 27–23 road victory. With the win, the Rams clinched the NFC West for the first time since 2003. As a result, Goff sat out of the regular-season finale against the 49ers. He was named as the PFWA Most Improved Player.
Goff finished his second professional season with 3,804 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and seven interceptions to go along with 51 rushing yards and a touchdown in 15 games and starts. He led the league in yards per pass completion with 12.9. During the Wild Card Round against the Falcons, Goff completed 24-of-45 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown in the 26–13 loss. On January 22, 2018, he was named to his first Pro Bowl as an injury and Super Bowl replacement for Carson Wentz. Goff was ranked 38th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.
2018 season: Super Bowl LIII
Goff started the 2018 season throwing for 233 yards and two touchdowns during the season-opening 33–13 road victory over the Oakland Raiders, followed by back-to-back 354-yard games in wins over the Cardinals and the cross-town rival Los Angeles Chargers. In the Chargers game, he also had a career best 80.5% completion percentage on 29-of-36 passing for three touchdowns and one interception. During a Week 4 38–31 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football, Goff completed 26-of-33 passes for a career-high 465 yards and five touchdowns, finishing with a perfect quarterback rating of 158.3. His performance set the record for most passing yards and attempts while maintaining a perfect passer rating, surpassing Ken O'Brien's 32 attempts for 431 yards in 1986. Goff was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance. Goff was later named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September.