Rodney Peete, Andre Ware, Scott Mitchell, Charlie Batch, Joey Harrington, Jeff Garcia, Jon Kitna, Daunte Culpepper.
That list a names still fills many Detroit Lions fans with dread, frustration, anger, and sadness. Those were just a handful of the quarterbacks that started for the Lions in the 18 seasons leading up to their drafting of Matthew Stafford in 2009. And it wasn't all that much better in the decades prior, either, in the post-Bobby Layne era.
It was dark times at the QB position. Times that could've been a little less dark had the Lions took Joe Montana up on his alleged offer to play for them after he left the San Francisco 49ers in 1993, or Warren Moon, like former head coach Wayne Fontes wanted. Imagine Montana or Moon with Barry Sanders and Herman Moore?
Not signing Montana or Moon were just two poor QB decisions among many for the Lions, and it wasn't until that 2009 NFL Draft when they finally got one right. The Lions took Stafford #1 overall amid worries that the 0-16 Lions would ruin him, like every other QB.
The Lions didn't ruin Stafford, but not for the lack of trying. Their front office incompetency led the future Super Bowl winner, MVP, and Hall of Famer to exit Detroit 0-3 in the playoffs after 12 seasons. By trading Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, the Lions got back another former #1 overall pick in Jared Goff.
"Here we go again," Lions fans said at the time. "Back to the never-ending QB carousel."
"Goff is just a bridge QB."
A remarkable streak continues in 2026
When Goff takes his first snap against the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, it'll mark his sixth season as the Lions' Week 1 starter. Add in the Stafford era, and it will mark 18 consecutive seasons where the Week 1 starter is either Goff or Stafford.
18 seasons with two highly-regarded QBs. Yes, there are soon going to be grown adults who have only ever lived in a world where the Lions are one of the most stable franchises at the QB position.
The Green Bay Packers, well known for their stability at the position, have had only two Week 1 starters since 2008 (Aaron Rodgers and Jordan Love). The Baltimore Ravens also have had a similar run since 2008 (Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson). The Dallas Cowboys stretch a bit further with two QBs since 2007 (Tony Romo and Dak Prescott).
That's it. Only the Packers, Ravens, Cowboys, and Lions have used two or fewer QBs as their Week 1 starter from 2009 onward. The Los Angeles Chargers deserve a mention, as well, with Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert. Tyrod Taylor started Week 1 in 2020, before getting injured during the pregame of Week 2, but aside from that, the Rivers and Herbert duo have run the show there since 2006.
Goff and Stafford have put up numbers in Detroit
Goff and Stafford now find themselves in the top two in most QB stats in franchise history. Goff leads the way in passer rating (101.3) and completion percentage (67.9), while Stafford leads in passing yards (45,109) and passing touchdowns (282). Career-wise, Stafford is approaching the top-five all-time in yards (64,671) and TDs (423), while Goff is knocking on the door of top-20 in both (39,622 and 256), and could be top-15 by the end of the 2027 season.
It hasn't always been pretty. There have definitely been rough patches, but it's a far cry from the Harrington days. The Lions are no longer a team desperately searching for a franchise QB, or even one that can simply win a playoff game in Detroit. Goff took care of that playoff win drought in 2024, fittingly against Stafford and the Rams.
READ MORE: Jared Goff has a notable streak he's well-positioned to continue this season
For nearly 20 years, the Lions have been led by two fantastic QBs, who have taken the franchise to relevancy and other exciting heights. It's unknown when the Goff era will end, whether it's when his contract is up or when he's in his 40s a decade from now.
When that time comes, hopefully the Lions will be ready to continue this run of stability for another 18 or more years, and with plenty of Super Bowls titles sprinkled throughout.
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