As expected, Lions quarterback Jared Goff has denied a report from the weekend about conflict with offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn.
Prior to Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports cited a team source to report that part of the reason Lions offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn lost play-calling duties was from a failure to connect with quarterback Jared Goff.
On Tuesday, Goff and head coach Dan Campbell responded to the report.
Via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press:
“I was just told about that,” Goff said. “I don’t know where that came from. We have a great relationship. Me and him talk daily. I don’t know where that came from.”
Campbell took over play-calling duties from Lynn coming out of the Lions’ Week 9 bye, as the payoff of his desire to be more hands-on with the struggling offense. Lynn still has a role in coordinating the offense, it’s just Campbell wearing the headset with the line of communication to the quarterback now.
Jared Goff and Dan Campbell giving the company line on Anthony Lynn
Campbell also denied any notion Goff and Lynn have a strained relationship.
Asked to describe Goff and Lynn’s relationship, Campbell said, “Fine. Yeah, it’s fine.”
Campbell had something else to say regarding the report, before saying Goff and Lynn’s relationship was “fine.”
“Somebody showed me that. That was a team source. I’d love to know who that was, ’cause it wasn’t me.”
Leaks to reporters within a team’s building are generally common, and Lynn is lined up to be one-and-done as Lions offensive coordinator even if he had a copacetic relationship with Goff. The results just haven’t been good enough, no matter who the quarterback or play-caller has been.
So La Canfora’s “team source” may well have been Lynn, with nothing to lose knowing he’ll be looking for new employment right after the season ends.
Goff’s proclamation that he and Lynn “talk daily” means nothing, and Campbell’s use of the word “fine” twice in four words feels like he’s trying to talk himself into it. But there’s nothing else the head coach and quarterback can say, as refreshing as it might be to hear either or both say there’s actual strife with the offensive coordinator and former play-caller.