It’s been quite some time since we checked in with Detroit Lions fans regarding their opinion of general manager Brad Holmes. The last time we polled our audience was almost exactly a year ago, following the team’s 2025 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, those poll results were lost to time (and a migration to a new content management system at SB Nation).
Detroit, MI
Jared Goff gets major respect, cracks NFL’s top-10 QBs of 2024
ESPN is continuing their lists of the top-10 players at each position, as voted on by NFL executives coaches, and scouts. On Monday, they dropped the quarterback list, and it features Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff cracking the top-10 list for the first time since its inception in 2020. He placed ninth on the list this year, ahead of some notable quarterbacks like Dak Prescott (10th), Brock Purdy (not ranked), Jordan Love (NR), Jalen Hurts (NR), Trevor Lawrence (NR), and Kirk Cousins (NR).
Not only had Goff never made the list before, but he was only an honorable mention a single time in the previous four years—last year. Here’s what ESPN author Jeremy Fowler wrote in 2023:
“Goff rarely got a single vote over the past three seasons, but this year he appeared on nearly 25% of the ballots after leading Detroit to nine wins, thanks in part to a 29-7 touchdown-interception ratio.”
After helping the Lions to get to the NFC Championship last year, the narrative on Goff has completely shifted. But even more telling than Goff’s ninth overall ranking is the specific praise he got from NFL insiders. This isn’t just about him now being “a winner,” or game-managing an offense led by coordinator Ben Johnson. Goff is getting real, tangible praise for specific traits that often go underappreciated.
“He’s the best in the NFL at throwing into zone coverage windows,” an anonymous NFL coordinator told ESPN. “I’ve shown young quarterbacks tape of him and how he throws with anticipation.”
“He used to seem nervous in the pocket, but now he’s cool in there,” an NFC executive said. “I don’t think he has that pressure on him like he did in L.A. Detroit has embraced him and he’s responded.”
Last year, Goff finished second in passing yards (4,575), fourth in passing touchdowns (30), ninth in passer rating (97.9), and 11th in QBR. If you back up the stats to when Detroit started to turn things around—circa Thanksgiving in 2021—Goff’s statistical output has been as good as anybody’s.
Apropos of nothing in particular:
Jared Goff’s stats and rankings since Week 9 of 2022 (Lions’ 20-7 regular season run):
(min 500 attempts)
Comp %: 66.8 (8th)
Yards: 7,109 (2nd)
Y/A: 7.5 (5th)
TDs: 47 (3rd)
INTs: 13 (t-9th)
Passer rating: 100.0 (4th)— Jeremy Reisman (@DetroitOnLion) April 30, 2024
And almost identical since Thanksgiving 2021:
(min. 800 attempts)
Comp %: 66.6 (8th)
Yards: 10,149 (3rd)
Y/A: 7.5 (4th)
TDs: 70 (4th)
INTs: 21 (T-6th fewest)
Rating: 99.6 (5th)— Will Burchfield (@burchie_kid) April 30, 2024
It’s good to see that public perception is finally catching up with reality, and people who know ball see both how good Goff is and how much he has improved since landing with the Lions in 2021.
4Warn Weather – SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy skies. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. A few storms could be strong with gusty winds and hail. High: 71.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly cloudy skies, becoming partly cloudy skies late. Low: 45.
SUNDAY (MOTHER’S DAY): Mix of sunshine and clouds, cooler temperatures. High: 61.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy skies. Another chilly night. Low: 41.
MONDAY: Mostly sunny skies, remaining chilly. High: 58.
After a beautiful end to the week on Friday with sunshine and a little cloud cover, with warmer temperatures moving into the region as well, some of us are waking up to some patchy dense fog on Saturday morning. Some places south of M-59 are seeing reduced visibilities down to around a mile. If you do run into some patchy dense fog, be sure to use your low beams.
That warming trend continues into the start of the weekend on Saturday, but it also brings a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Another cold front will work through the region by Saturday afternoon and early Saturday evening and that will bring our thunderstorm chance. High temperature is warming into low 70s by Saturday afternoon.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed most of the region under a Marginal Risk (1 out of 5) on our severe weather scale for the start of the weekend. Gusty winds and hail are the primary threats as we work through the start of the weekend, but this will not be a widespread threat for severe thunderstorms.
Behind that cold front for the end of the weekend on Sunday, we will keep a mixture of sunshine and clouds into the forecast. High temperatures running about 10 to 15° cooler to end the weekend. Expect high to warm into the upper 50s to lower 60s by Sunday afternoon.
Drier weather sticks around for the start of next week, before another chance of rain moves into the region by the time we get to Tuesday. The cooler-than-average temperatures will continue into the start of next week as well. Expect high temperatures to remain in the 50s for Monday and Tuesday.
Temperature start to warm up by the middle of next week, and Drier weather moves back in by Wednesday behind another cold front moving into the region. Expect high temperatures into the lower 60s on Wednesday to warm into the upper 60s by the time we get to Thursday. Above average temperatures move back into the region as we look ahead into the end of the week, expect high temperatures back into the lower 70s by the time we get to Friday.
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But as you can see below, Holmes has been an extremely popular figure among Detroit sports fans for pretty much his entire career.
Although, if there was a time when Holmes’ popularity took a hit, it was likely during the 2025 NFL season, when the Lions took their first clear step back since he and Dan Campbell came to town.
Since last year’s data was lost to time, this is a good opportunity to check back in with Lions fans. While Holmes certainly deserves a ton of credit for getting the Lions back to relevancy and helping them produce four consecutive seasons with winning records, there are some serious blemishes on his resumé now. The 2024 NFL Draft class has not lived up to his high standards through two seasons, some of his riskiest picks over the last few years have all failed to pay off, and last year’s roster just wasn’t good enough to withstand the injuries.
But Holmes is also coming off a very crowd-pleasing draft. Detroit addressed their two biggest needs with their first two selections, and there were no crazy head-scratching picks or expensive trade ups. Many have categorized his latest draft as “back to business as usual,” which could have some fans he lost back on his side.
However, that is all up to you. Vote on your thoughts about Holmes’ time in Detroit below, and share your extended thoughts in the comment section at the bottom of the page.
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