Since the Detroit Lions’ unexpected playoff exit, chants of Jared Goff’s name have significantly quieted, and one 97.1 The Ticket host is questioning if fans have started to turn on the Lions quarterback.
Why it Matters
- Jeff Riger, sports radio host at 97.1 The Ticket, shared his thoughts on the shift in fan sentiment regarding the Lions’ quarterback.
- He pointed out that while not all fans feel the same, there’s been a noticeable decline in confidence in Goff.
Jeff Riger on Fan Sentiment Toward Jared Goff:
“The one thing I keep getting back from Lions fans, and it’s not every Lions fan, but it is actually a decent amount of them, is the quarterback,” Riger said as quoted by Lions OnSI.
“You know what’s changed over the last five weeks, six weeks, two months? I don’t think I’m wrong about this. Detroit Lions fans are not as confident in Jared Goff as they once were.”
Riger attributes this shift to Goff’s poor performance against the Washington Commanders, including a pick-six in the playoff game that changed the momentum.
Riger on Goff’s Declining Popularity:
“All it took was one game, it was a brutal game. Even today, we had someone (caller) say, ‘Jared Goff can’t win you three, four games to win a Super Bowl.’ You went from chanting this man’s name at a Meijer’s, girl’s volleyball game, local pharmacy, school bus stop, to not chanting it at all,” Riger explained.
“Does the chant come back? I don’t know. How does that work? Preseason starts, you’ve got a team in town, Goff gets out there, you chant his name again? How does that work? I don’t know. There’s been so much, and it’s almost under the radar, but it’s a lot.”
The Struggle to Win the Big Game:
Riger highlighted the ongoing skepticism about Goff’s ability to win big games, especially in the postseason. While Goff led the Lions to two playoff wins in 2023, the collapse against the 49ers in the NFC Championship game didn’t raise concerns about his performance. However, the Washington game reignited doubts.
“There’s been a lot of reaction here and there, people usually say it in passing. They call the radio station on a different topic but they always make sure to kind of slide it in. I’ve noticed. I think Detroit has fallen out of love with Jared Goff. I do. I get it man, the guy stunk in the last game. He wasn’t the only one who stunk, but he stunk in the last game,” said Riger.
“And he’s 30 years old, and he’s gonna have to work with a new OC, and maybe this entire time you always thought he was a bridge quarterback even though he proved he wasn’t.”
Questions About Goff's Future:
Riger speculated that while Detroit fans initially embraced Goff, some may have always harbored doubts about his ability to lead the Lions to a Super Bowl.
“I do believe all of Detroit loves Goff. And the Goff chants started when Stafford ran on the field in the playoffs last year, right? However, have you really always loved him? Or was there always something down deep that told you he’s not the guy for the job, he’s not gonna be able to win a Super Bowl,” Riger continued.
“I’ve always wondered this, and ever since losing that playoff game, I think my wonders have been answered. There’s a lot of people that don’t come out and say it publicly, they slide it in there, it’s almost very passive aggressively. There’s a lot of people that are taking little pot shots at Jared Goff.”
Key Stats & Further Reading
- Goff struggled in a crucial playoff loss to the Commanders, throwing multiple interceptions.
- Despite leading the Lions to two playoff wins in 2023, questions linger about his postseason performance.
For more on Goff’s role in Detroit, listen to Jeff Riger’s full analysis on 97.1 The Ticket.
