Although their playoff hopes are on life support, the Detroit Lions received some good news yesterday. Jack Campbell, Jahmyr Gibbs, Penei Sewell, Aidan Hutchinson, and Amon-Ra St. Brown were nominated to the Pro Bowl. However, the omission of Lions quarterback Jared Goff, who made the list only as an alternate, came as a shocking snub.
Detroit Lions’ Biggest Pro Bowl Snub
The Lions are one of four NFL teams with five players making the 2025 Pro Bowl. They are in elite company with the Los Angeles Rams, Dallas Cowboys, and the L.A. Chargers. Only four other teams, the Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Baltimore Ravens, had more Pro Bowl nominations, with each team boasting six players.
Why Goff Deserved to Be Nominated
A four-time Pro Bowl nominee, Goff continues to lead Detroit as an elite, MVP-caliber quarterback. This is his sixth career 4,000-yard-plus season. According to FOX Sports, only Matthew Stafford ranks higher than Goff this season. Completing 68.6% of his passes for 4,036 yards, with 32 touchdowns, and five interceptions, Goff’s QB rating is averaging just under 110%.
By comparison, Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold is one of six team players nominated to the Pro Bowl. Passing for 3,703 yards with 24 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, with a 100.4% QBR, Darnold has had a remarkable season. He led the Seahawks to an impressive 12-4 record and a playoff berth. However, he is not at the same level as Goff. Darnold comes in at number eight on the FOX Sports list.
A year ago, Dan Campbell proudly touted his quarterback as the best in the NFL: “Find me a quarterback that’s playing better than him in this league.” Smashing existing NFL and franchise records has become almost second nature for the 31-year-old Goff, who added yet another record to his impressive resume last week. Goff is the first Lions player in franchise history to have scored more than 30 touchdowns a year for three consecutive years.
Was Goff A Victim Of Detroit’s Offensive Play Calling?
It’s inconceivable that with his elite skills, Goff didn’t make the Pro Bowl. Critics point to his lack of mobility as his biggest weakness. But when you’re surrounded by two of the most talented running backs in the league, that shouldn’t be a concern. Unfortunately, this season it has become one.
In the last few years, much of the Lions’ offensive success was due to the one-two punch of Gibbs and David Montgomery together. But this season, operating behind a drastically weakened offensive line and a reduced usage of Montgomery, the Lions’ illustrious ground game sputtered. It’s worth noting the games the Lions won this season, Montgomery played a larger role.
Nonetheless, Goff finds a way to overcome. The epitome of grace and calm under pressure, Goff engineered 11 fourth-quarter comebacks in his career. Even in last week’s losing effort to Pittsburgh, Goff had a season-high 54 completions for over 300 yards in his third straight game. Steady and efficient throughout, he notched 199 yards and two touchdowns in the team’s final three drives.
Last month, Brad Galli of WXYZ-Channel 7 reported that Campbell believes Goff is playing the best football of his career. Campbell said, “He’s settled into his own to where he just continues to take it up another notch and just continues to get better, process information, the game slows down for him. He’s playing at a high level.”
Detroit Lions Path To The Playoffs
Despite Goff’s statistically exceptional year, the Lions are dangerously close to missing the postseason. To make the playoffs, the team must win its remaining two games against the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears. If the Lions lose either game, they will automatically be eliminated. In addition, Detroit’s path to the playoffs is dependent upon the Green Bay Packers losing both of their final games against the Ravens and Vikings. Based upon this unlikely scenario, oddsmakers have given the Lions a 5%-8% chance of making the playoffs.
It’s a lousy end to a snake-bitten 2025 season for Detroit. For a team with so many elite, talented players, it’s beyond comprehension that this team won’t make the playoffs. But an avalanche of injuries derailed the team this year and negatively impacted the on-field performance. Facing one of the toughest schedules in the league, the players are enduring a vastly different outcome from last year, when the Lions kept winning games despite the injuries.
But the challenge is to keep fighting for a playoff berth, and right now, the next hurdle is winning the game in Minnesota. Goff is well known for his mental toughness and resilience. He’s accustomed to getting knocked down and getting back up, ready to continue the fight. Goff’s not even thinking about the Pro Bowl snub. His focus is on winning the next two games. A Lions victory over Minnesota would be the perfect Christmas present.