Are Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown one of the best quarterback-pass catcher combos in the NFL right now?
Most Detroit Lions fans would enthusiastically say "Yes!" But for four NFL analysts on NFL.com, the Lions duo missed the cut. As a part of an "Instant Debate" article, Dan Parr, Jeremy Bergman, Matt Okada, and Brooke Cersosimo named one QB-pass catcher duo they expect to be elite in 2026.
Parr made the obvious call of the Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, who have continually posted big numbers together since Chase was drafted in 2021. Chase has been a Pro Bowler every season of his career, and surged to elite status in 2023 after securing the receiving Triple Crown by leading in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Chase's numbers do understandably dip when Burrow misses time, but when Burrow is healthy, it's tough to argue that any QB-WR pair is better.
Bergman went with the Los Angeles Rams' Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua. The former Lions QB is coming off of a MVP season thanks in part to a First-Team All-Pro year out of Nacua, who led the league in receptions with 129. With the Rams going "all-in" this season, it's reasonable to expect a big year out of both in 2026.
Taking a QB-WR combo that has yet to play a game together, Okada named the New England Patriots' Drake Maye and A.J. Brown. Maye was the MVP runner-up to Stafford last season while losing in the Super Bowl. In need of an elite WR, the Patriots traded for Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles. Brown has reach the 1,000-yard mark in all but one of his NFL seasons, and earning three Second-Team All-Pro selections during his stint with the Eagles.
The Maye-Brown pick is a reminder that this is predictive and not a declaration of the best duos right now. If it was, Cersosimo's pick of Houston Texans' C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins would've been highly controversial. Despite Collins Pro Bowl-level play in recent seasons, Stroud's numbers have dipped since his Rookie of the Year campaign. Cersosimo points to the upgrades the Texans made at the offensive line and the acquisition of former Lion David Montgomery as reasons to buy stock in Stroud-Collins in 2026.
The Goff and St. Brown duo by the numbers
Goff and St. Brown both joined the Lions in 2021, with Goff joining via trade and St. Brown coming in as a fourth-round rookie. It took until Week 12 of that season before the two connected on a TD in the thrilling first win of that otherwise horrid 2021 season. After finally linking up on that TD, the two have been near inseparable on the field ever since.
Since 2021, St. Brown has led all WRs in receptions (547). Across those five seasons, St. Brown and Goff have connected for the second most TDs of a QB-WR duo (44), behind Burrow-Chase (48), and the most receiving yards (6,252). From 2023 onward, St. Brown leads in TD receptions with 33 and is third in receiving yards (4,179), behind Chase (4,336) and Nacua (4,191).
During their time together, Goff and St. Brown have had success in Detroit, reaching as far as the NFC Championship game in 2023. Goff's clutch late-game first down pass to St. Brown against the Rams during that run sealed the Lions' first playoff win in over 30 years.
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On the accolades front, St. Brown is currently on a run of four consecutive Pro Bowl selections, while Goff has earned three in the past four seasons. St. Brown has also earned two First-Team All-Pro nods and one Second-Team selection. Goff also finished fifth in MVP voting in 2024 -- the highest ever for a Lions' QB in the Super Bowl era.
Goff has been the beneficiary of the Lions' high-powered offense, leading all QBs in passing yards (18,206) and passing TDs (130) throughout the past four seasons. That offense, which includes rising stars in Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa, along with one of the league's best running backs in Jahmyr Gibbs, could be why Goff and St. Brown weren't picked in NFL.com's article as the Lions could spread the ball out more in 2026.
Regardless of why Goff and St. Brown were snubbed, fans have good reason to believe Goff and St. Brown will continue their elite connection that has won the Lions' game after game these past few seasons. Even if the Lions tandem doesn't put up the big numbers that the other duos might, few pairings will scare NFL defenses more in 2026.
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