Jared Goff named to the 2026 Pro Bowl Games, replacing Sam Darnold

The Detroit Lions will be sending another player to the 2026 Pro Bowl Games, and it's a noteworthy one for quarterback Jared Goff.

The Lions have formally announced that Goff has been named to the Pro Bowl, replacing Seattle Seahawks' Sam Darnold, who will be playing in Super Bowl LX days later.

Goff was initially selected as the first alternate for NFC QBs. When Darnold matched up with fellow 2026 Pro Bowler Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game, Goff was guaranteed to get a Pro Bowl invite. Goff could have still declined his invite, as he did in 2023 when he was second alternate, but declined after the Lions' NFC Championship game loss.

For Goff, it's his fifth career Pro Bowl selection, and his third since being traded to the Lions in 2021. Goff's three Pro Bowl selections as a QB with the Lions are second in franchise history behind Bobby Layne's five. Although Layne's fifth selection with the Lions came in the season in which he was traded from Detroit to the Pittsburgh Steelers after playing two games with the Lions.

This selection is also his second consecutive, as he was selected as a starter last season and went on to become the 2025 Pro Bowl Games' Offensive MVP.

Goff is one of six Lions currently named to the 2026 Pro Bowl alongside offensive tackle Penei Sewell, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, linebacker Jack Campbell, and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Other alternates, such as fourth alternate WR Jameson Williams, could still be named before rosters are finalized.

Why making a fifth Pro Bowl is important for a QB

It can be tough to get excited about a Pro Bowl, especially when minutes earlier, Cleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders was announced as a Pro Bowl replacement over in the AFC despite having an argument for being the worst statistical starting QB in the league.

However, think of QB Pro Bowls on a bell curve, in which each number of Pro Bowls is weighed by how impactful it is to a QB's résumé. One or two? Whatever. Anyone can make it to one or two. Seven or more? They likely have a ring, an MVP, or other accolades that are weighted more heavily. Unless you're Philip Rivers, of course.

Five? Six? Now we're talking! It's extremely difficult for a QB to make it to a fifth Pro Bowl, even when considering alternates. Goff is just the tenth QB to reach five in the 21st century. Each of those other nine QBs would later be selected to a sixth Pro Bowl, with five of them reaching double-digits.

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QBs that got stuck on four include big names like Kurt Warner, Bart Starr, Eli Manning, Matt Ryan, Randall Cunningham, and Ken Anderson. There are also notable names like Andrew Luck, Michael Vick, Drew Bledsoe, Tony Romo, and Derek Carr, who also finished with four. Current QBs with four are MVPs Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, along with Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins. Allen and Prescott were selected to the fourth this season.

Goff also becomes just the fourth QB taken #1 overall to be selected to a fifth Pro Bowl, joining Hall of Famers John Elway, Troy Aikman, and Peyton Manning. Goff isn't a Hall of Famer just yet, especially with the lack of a Super Bowl win or MVP. At the same time, making it to the Pro Bowl five times is still a remarkable achievement, regardless of how much the weight of the honor has diminished in the eyes of the public.

It's always great to see a Lion reach the Pro Bowl, but going forward, Pro Bowls should be the floor for Goff. The expectation. The bare minimum. He's met that expectation for most of his Lions tenure, but entering the 2026 season, Goff will be under pressure more than ever to lead the Lions to another deep playoff run. Ideally, come the 2027 Pro Bowl Games, it'll be another QB replacing Goff due to his Super Bowl LXI obligations.