Jared Goff

Jared Thomas Goff (born October 14, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL).

He played college football for the California Golden Bears, setting Pac-12 Conference season records for passing yards and passing touchdowns.

He was the first Cal quarterback to earn first-team All-Pac-12 honors since Rodgers in 2004 while leading an 8–5 Cal team to a winning record and bowl game for the first time since 2011 as well as a post-season win for the first time since 2008.

During Goff's time as quarterback, the Golden Bears never beat an in-state rival, going 0–9 against Stanford, UCLA, and USC, and they also went 0–3 against division rival Oregon.

Goff's father has been quoted as saying the lack of a marquee win bothered his son.

Goff attended Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield, California, and graduated in 2013.

He played for the football team, throwing for 7,687 yards and 93 touchdowns with 18 interceptions in three varsity seasons at Marin Catholic, completing 477-of-767 passes (62.2%), equal to a passer rating of 125.5, for teams that combined to post a 39–4 overall record and 21–0 Marin County Athletic League mark on their way to an appearance in the state title game, one North Coast Section crown, three NCS playoff appearances, and three MCAL championships.

Goff was recruited by a number of college programs and received scholarship offers from Boise State, Fresno State, and Washington State before choosing to attend the University of California, Berkeley.

Goff was a mid-year enrollee at Cal in January 2013 and joined the Golden Bears for 2013 spring practices.

In August, he was named starting quarterback for the 2013 season over redshirt freshman quarterback Zach Kline, becoming the first true freshman quarterback in Cal history to start a season opener.

Goff set 26 Cal records.

This included passing yards (12,220), passing yards per game (329.7 ypg), touchdown passes (96), completions (977), passing attempts (1,569), total offense (12,086), and total plays (1,739).

He is second only to Aaron Rodgers on Cal's all-time list for passing efficiency (143.95).

Under new head coach Sonny Dykes, Goff started all twelve games in the 2013 season, and although the team finished 1–11, he set Cal single-season records for passing yards (3,508), yardage gained (3,508), total offense (3,446), passes completed (320), and passes attempted (530).

Goff finished his true freshman season with a 60.3 completion percentage with 18 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.

Goff helped lead the Golden Bears to a 5–7 season, a four-win improvement over the 2013 season.

In 2014, Goff was again the starting quarterback for the Golden Bears.

In a September 27 matchup against the Colorado Buffaloes, Goff threw a career-high seven touchdown passes, completing 24-of-42 passes for 458 yards.

On October 4, Goff threw for a new career-high and school-record 527 yards and five touchdowns in a 60–59 victory over Washington State.

He finished the 2014 season with 3,973 yards, 35 touchdowns, and a 62% completion rate, once again setting new school records.

In 2015, as a junior, Goff led the Bears to a 7–5 regular-season finish, clinching Cal's first winning season since 2011.

On November 14, 2015, Goff threw for 453 yards and six touchdowns in a 54–24 victory over Oregon State, earning Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors for the first time.

Two weeks later, Goff set a new Cal single-game record with 542 passing yards in a 48–46 come-from-behind victory over Arizona State, earning Player of the Week honors for a second time.

In the 2015 Armed Forces Bowl, Goff threw for six touchdown passes and 467 yards, leading the Bears to a 55–36 victory over Air Force.

In 2015, Goff set a new Pac-12 single-season passing-yardage record (4,714), and also set a new conference record for touchdown passes in a season (43).

He earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors.

Goff was selected first overall by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2016 NFL Draft.

After an unsuccessful rookie season, Goff rebounded in his second year when he helped lead the Rams to their first winning season in 14 years and their first playoff appearance in 13 years.

Going into the season, Goff was projected as the top quarterback for the 2016 NFL Draft by Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay.

Goff majored in sociology during his time at Cal. After his junior season, Goff announced his decision to forgo his senior season and enter the 2016 NFL Draft.

In mid-February 2016, most analysts had Goff projected to be selected in the early first round of the draft, with the second overall pick of the Cleveland Browns being his most frequently predicted landing spot, or the San Francisco 49ers with the seventh overall pick.

Despite not excelling at the physical tests at the NFL Scouting Combine, Goff still improved his draft stock with a strong showing in the positional drills.

Goff also reportedly scored a 36 on his Wonderlic exam.

Goff oversaw further improved fortunes for the Rams in 2018, which saw the team reach Super Bowl LIII, the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance since 2001.

He also received Pro Bowl honors in both seasons.

Goff was traded to the Lions in 2021 and received a third Pro Bowl selection the following year.

In 2023, he led the Lions to their first division title since 1993 and first playoff win since 1991.

Goff was born in San Rafael, California, and raised in Novato, California, the son of Jerry Goff, a former Major League Baseball player.

He also has an older sister named Lauren.

Goff grew up as a San Francisco 49ers fan and wore the number 16 as a tribute to Joe Montana, who played for the 49ers before Goff was born.