Lions pony up and reward Jared Goff as symbol of franchise resurgence

After contract extensions for Amon-Ra St. Brown and Penei Sewell came like they did, Jared Goff was next and people wondered when there would be news of it being done.

The answer is Monday, with ESPN's Adam Schefter first reporting the Lions and Goff have agreed to a four-year, $212 million contract extension with $170 million guaranteed.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network has clarified, per his source, it's actually a three-year extension with the fourth year (2028) as an option.

In any case, the $53 million per year average makes Goff the second-highest paid quarterback in the NFL behind Joe Burrow ($55 million per year).

Goff will now be under contract with the Lions through at least the 2027 season. The deal having 80 percent of it guaranteed is notable, and that $170 million ranks sixth among quarterbacks in raw guaranteed money. We'll see how that $170 million holds up upon a more detailed review of the contract, now knowing the final year of four years is apparently an option of some kind.

Goff has resurrected his career over the last two seasons in Detroit, with very good numbers actually going back to the end of the 2021 season. In line with his performance the roster has improved, yielding the franchise's first playoff win since 1991 last year and the franchise's first ever two-win postseason.

Lions reward Jared Goff as they were always expected to

Last week, during an appearance on 97.1 The Ticket, Lions' general manager Brad Holmes called Goff's contract extension a "high priority." But he clearly was not going to say much about negotiations, and as it turned out the deal was only a few days from being reported as done.

After he was acquired from the Rams in the Matthew Stafford trade, as a perceived throw-in because the Lions needed someone to replace Stafford, Holmes said he didn't view Goff as a bridge quarterback. Head coach Dan Campbell has continually said how well Goff fits the Lions, without wavering. Everything that's been done at the quarterback position, or not been done as it were, has backed up what was said by the top two people in the organization.

Goff and the Lions have walked a parallel path of resurgence and resurrection over his three seasons with the team to this point. The relationship was always going to go past this coming season, and Goff is now very well-paid; as expected.