The careers of Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford will always be linked following their blockbuster 2021 NFL quarterback trade, and the 2025 season has once again highlighted just how intertwined their legacies remain.
During the Detroit Lions’ 41–34 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Goff was forced to watch from the opposite sideline as Stafford passed him on the Rams’ all-time passing yards list, a moment that added insult to injury for Detroit’s quarterback.
Stafford Passes Goff in Rams Franchise History
Entering the matchup, Stafford trailed Goff by just 117 passing yards in Rams history. By the end of the game, Stafford finished with 368 passing yards, pushing his Rams total to 18,422 and officially moving him ahead of Goff into fourth place on the franchise list.
The Rams quickly acknowledged the milestone, posting a celebratory graphic on X (formerly Twitter), a moment that didn’t go unnoticed by Lions fans.
Stafford has steadily passed Goff across multiple Rams records:
Games played: Stafford surpassed Goff earlier this season
Touchdown passes: Stafford (132) passed Goff (107)
Current rankings:
Stafford: 3rd in TD passes, 4th in passing yards
Goff: 6th in TD passes
Stafford now trails Jim Everett by 5,336 passing yards and Roman Gabriel by 22 TDs for the Rams’ all-time lead. He is also just two regular-season wins away from passing Everett for second place in Rams history.
Goff finished his Rams tenure with 42 regular-season wins, compared to Stafford’s growing total.
Jared Goff’s Lions Career Continues to Rise
While Stafford continues climbing Rams record books, Jared Goff has quietly built one of the most productive quarterback stretches in Detroit Lions history.
Despite a difficult first season in Detroit, Goff has since delivered the most consistent QB play of the Lions’ Super Bowl era, statistically outperforming even Stafford in several efficiency categories.
Against his former team, Goff impressed despite the loss:
338 passing yards
3 touchdowns
0 turnovers
Goff’s 2025 Season Rankings (Lions History)
Passing yards: 3rd (3,672)
Passing TDs: 2nd (29)
Completion percentage: 4th (69.3%)
Passer rating: 2nd (110.4)
Interceptions: 5 (tied with Stafford)
Goff currently trails Stafford in most counting stats but leads in completion percentage and matches him in interceptions thrown.
Goff vs. Stafford: Lions Career Comparison
In fewer starts, Goff has already surpassed his Rams production since arriving in Detroit:
Wins: 47 (Lions) vs. 42 (Rams)
Passing yards: 20,559 vs. 18,171
Passing TDs: 144 vs. 107
Completion percentage: 68.1% vs. 63.4%
Passer rating: 101.9 vs. 91.5
However, Stafford still dominates the Lions’ franchise record book:
Regular-season starts: 165
Wins: 74
Passing yards: 45,109
Passing TDs: 282
Goff, with 79 starts, is only 27 wins behind Stafford but remains 24,550 passing yards and 138 TDs short of matching his former teammate’s Lions legacy.
At his current pace, Goff would need at least five more seasons in Detroit to surpass Stafford in both major categories.
What the Future Holds for Jared Goff and the Lions
Goff has three years remaining on his Lions contract, with a team opt-out after two seasons. If he plays out the deal, he’ll be 34 years old, still well within the modern NFL quarterback age range.
As recent history shows—with quarterbacks like Matthew Stafford (37) still playing MVP-level football—age alone won’t define Goff’s future. Lions GM Brad Holmes has emphasized stability at the position, famously noting:
“It’s a lot easier to get worse at QB than to get better at QB.”
While the NFL continues shifting toward mobile quarterbacks, Goff remains one of the league’s most accurate and efficient passers, capable of operating at an elite level within Detroit’s system.
If Goff ultimately stays long enough to surpass Stafford’s Lions records, it would almost certainly mean postseason success—and possibly a Super Bowl—along the way. And if that happens, there would be little debate left about who deserves the title of greatest quarterback in Detroit Lions history.
