Could Lions quarterback Jared Goff win league MVP this year?

The Detroit Lions confirmed their commitment to Jared Goff with a big contract extension this offseason. He led the team to its first playoff win in over 30 years last year (two playoff wins ultimately), as chants of his name later took over Detroit sporting events.

Whatever the specific thoughts about his strengths, weaknesses or his new contract are, few quarterbacks in the NFL have been better than Goff over the last two-plus seasons. If a certain player steps up as hoped (expected?), Goff could be even better this year.

NFL MVP is a quarterback award. The last non-quarterback to win it was Adrian Peterson in 2012, and since 2000 four non-quarterbacks (all running backs) have won the award.

As the quarterback for a team that's expected to very good again this year, Goff naturally surfaces somewhere on the MVP radar, right?. But he's also easy to set aside or dismiss in that conversation, in favor of bigger names.

Could Jared Goff win league MVP this year?

NFL.com's Judy Battista has made a list of dark horse MVP candidates for 2024, and Goff of course made it.

"The Lions broke through in 2023, winning the NFC North and getting thisclose to winning the NFC Championship Game and going to the Super Bowl, in large part because Goff has ascended into the top level of quarterbacks. He had the best completion percentage of his career (67.3) and threw 30 touchdown passes to just 12 interceptions. What gives Goff, who just signed a four-year, $212 million extension, a real chance to sneak into the MVP race, though, is whatdidn’thappen this offseason: His offensive coordinator did not leave. Ben Johnson was the hottest of hot head-coaching candidates, but he decided to for another year, giving the Lions and Goff rare continuity for a top-five offense -- teams in that stratosphere usually watch play-callers go through the revolving door on their way to the top job. With receiver Jameson Williams poised to make a big leap after an offseason free of injury recovery or gambling suspension, and with Amon-Ra St. Brown locked in with a new contract, Goff could finally put himself in the conversation as among the game’s very best."

Goff has all the pieces someone needs to be league MVP. Jameson Williams is obviously a critical factor in that idea, in line with how he can boost the Lions' offense in a way only he really can. Those looking for a longshot bet for NFL MVP, where it's legal to do so of course, can do a lot worse than Goff.