FLOWERY BRANCH — The Lions and the Falcons were in the market for a general manager and a head coach at the same time in 2020-21.
The Lions hired Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell, and the Falcons went with Terry Fontenot and Arthur Smith.
Both inherited veteran quarterbacks, but made different decisions. The Lions traded Matthew Stafford to the Rams for Jared Goff, who had guided the Rams to a Super Bowl. The Falcons stayed with Matt Ryan for a season and then elected to move on.
“They made a trade for a quarterback, right? With Goff,” Smith said. “I’m just saying different team building. I think there’s a lot of mutual respect. I have a lot of respect for Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes.”
The Lions elected to stay with Goff and drafted former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker in the third round of the 2023 draft. Goff has a 55-46-1 overall record. He is 13-19-1 with the Lions.
The Lions went 8-2 down the stretch last season, which signaled a breakthrough.
“Organizationally, they’ve done a terrific job,” Smith said. “You can feel it’s real. They’ve given them time to build it, and you can feel that influence.”
Goff has completed 50 of 70 passes (71.4%) for 576 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. He has a passer rating of 109.
“He’s a good player,” Smith said. “A guy that I think is very underrated. He was the No. 1 pick (in the 2016 draft). Clearly, he has an elite skill set.”
Falcons defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen is enthralled by Goff, too.
“Big arm,” Nielsen said. “Knows where to go with the football. He’s gotten so much better as his career has gone on. You’ve seen the progression. He’s an elite quarterback.”
The Bow Tie Chronicles
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