Jared Goff reveals that Detroit Lions stole trick play from college team
During Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, the Detroit Lions executed a play that left fans and analysts scratching their heads. Quarterback Jared Goff appeared to receive a snap from center Frank Ragnow, but the ball was actually sent through Goff’s legs to running back David Montgomery, who then charged forward, successfully tricking the Panthers’ defense for a first down. This ingenious play, however, was not born in the NFL playbook but was inspired by a college football team.
A College Connection
As Jared Goff revealed on 97.1 The Ticket, the Lions didn’t invent this play themselves. Instead, they borrowed it from a 2022 game featuring the William and Mary team. It seems that Goff and the Lions’ “special ideas guys” found this gem and decided to incorporate it into their game plan against the Panthers.
“We stole it from a college team. I believe it was William and Mary. I think that was the school. It was wherever Colby Sorsdal went to school, which I believe was William and Mary,” Goff said. “We saw it from them. We call those our specials is what we call them, our trick plays, our ‘specials.’ Our specials ideas guys found that one and thought it fit our game plan this week and we put it in.”
“It never hit me anywhere, which was good, but I had to get really close to Frank,” Goff said. “There was no room for error. I was very intimate with him on that play.”
Bottom Line – A Trick Play to Remember
In the world of professional football, innovation can come from unexpected sources. The Detroit Lions’ audacious trick play, inspired by a college football game, demonstrates how teams constantly seek new strategies to outwit their opponents. Jared Goff’s humorous take on the play’s execution adds a human touch to the story, reminding us that even in high-stakes games, there’s room for creativity and a little fun.
