Vikings’ Rivals Give Out a Massive QB Contract
The Minnesota Vikings decided not to hand out a contract to Kirk Cousins this offseason. Instead, they allowed the veteran to walk in free agency, and he signed with the Atlanta Falcons.
However, a Vikings’ rival, the Detroit Lions, has decided to go with a different approach this offseason. On Monday evening, the Lions inked Jared Goff to a truly massive four-year contract that will pay him $212 million.
Vikings’ Rivals Give Out a Massive QB Contract
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported the contract, tweeting, “Another done deal in Detroit: Lions are signing QB Jared Goff to a four-year, $212 million contract extension that includes $170 million guaranteed, sources tell ESPN. Goff now goes from former No. 1 overall pick to highest-paid Lion in franchise history.”
Goff was selected with the first overall pick by the Los Angeles Rams back in 2016. The QB spent five seasons in Los Angeles, and during his time there, he was a fine quarterback, but not necessarily one that would have been paid $50+ million.
Over those five seasons, he threw for over 4000 yards twice (making the Pro Bowl in each of those seasons), including the 2018 season in which the Rams made the Super Bowl before falling to the New England Patriots.
Following the conclusion of the 2020 season, though, the Rams decided to trade Goff to the Lions. In return, Los Angeles got Matthew Stafford and immediately went on to win a Super Bowl while Detroit finished that 2021 campaign with a 3-13-1 record. Goff threw for 3245 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 14 starts.
Over the past two years, though, Detroit and Goff have seen steady improvements. This past season, the Lions won the NFC North with a 12-5 record while Goff threw for 4575 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. They then defeated the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the playoffs before losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the franchise’s first NFC Championship Game since 1991. Goff performed well in those games, throwing for 837 yards and four touchdowns in the three matchups.
Seeing as Goff will turn 30 years old in October, the assumption should be that he has plenty of positive football ahead of him, and the Lions are betting on that idea with this massive contract extension. Earlier in the offseason, Detroit signed both WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and RT Penei Sewell to new contract extensions as well, solidifying their young cornerstones for years to come.
Goff is now the second-highest paid QB in the NFL, trailing only Joe Burrow’s AAV of $55 million per year. Both contracts will officially kick in during the 2025 season.
Editor’s Note: Statistics for this article were found via Pro Football Reference and Spotrac.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.
