Jared Goff Bio
Jared Thomas Goff is an American professional football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears, where he set Pac-12 Conference single-season records for passing yards and passing touchdowns. Selected first overall by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2016 NFL draft, Goff has earned multiple Pro Bowl selections and has appeared in the Super Bowl during his professional career.
Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and listed at 217 pounds, Goff has become a franchise cornerstone for Detroit. He is married to model Christen Harper, and the couple welcomed a daughter in 2025.
Early Life and Background
Jared Thomas Goff was born on October 14, 1994, in San Rafael, California, and raised in Novato, California. He is the son of Jerry Goff, a former Major League Baseball player, and has an older sister named Lauren. Growing up, Goff was a San Francisco 49ers fan and chose to wear jersey number 16 as a tribute to Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, who played for the 49ers before Goff was born.
Goff attended Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield, California, graduating in 2013. He starred for the football team, throwing for 7,687 yards and 93 touchdowns across three varsity seasons while leading the program to a 39–4 overall record, three Marin County Athletic League championships, and an appearance in a state title game. He also played basketball and baseball during his time at Marin Catholic.
Path to American Football
Goff attracted scholarship offers from several programs, including Boise State, Fresno State, and Washington State, before choosing to attend the University of California, Berkeley. He enrolled at Cal in January 2013 as a mid-year enrollee and joined the Golden Bears for spring practice. In August 2013, he was named the starting quarterback over redshirt freshman Zach Kline, becoming the first true freshman quarterback in Cal history to start a season opener.
Over three seasons with the Golden Bears, Goff set school records for passing yards (12,220), touchdown passes (96), completions (977), and total offense (12,086), placing second only to Aaron Rodgers on Cal’s all-time passing efficiency list. In 2015, he set Pac-12 Conference single-season records for passing yards (4,714) and touchdown passes (43), earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors, and led Cal to its first winning season and bowl win since 2011. He majored in sociology before declaring for the 2016 NFL draft after his junior year.
Jared Goff Career
Early Career (2016)
Selected first overall by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2016 NFL draft after the team traded up with the Tennessee Titans, Goff signed a four-year rookie deal worth $27.9 million in guaranteed money, including an $18.6 million signing bonus. He began his rookie season as a backup to veteran Case Keenum before being named the starter in Week 11.
Goff made his professional debut on November 20, 2016, against the Miami Dolphins, completing 17 of 31 passes for 134 yards in a 14–10 loss. He started the final seven games of his rookie season, throwing for 1,089 yards, five touchdowns, and seven interceptions as the Rams finished 4–12.
Los Angeles Rams Breakthrough (2017–2018)
Under new head coach Sean McVay in 2017, Goff earned his first career victory in the season-opening 46–9 rout of the Indianapolis Colts and quickly developed into one of the league’s most productive passers. He threw for 3,804 yards and 28 touchdowns, leading the Rams to their first NFC West title since 2003 and their first playoff appearance since 2004. He was named the PFWA Most Improved Player and earned his first Pro Bowl selection as an injury replacement.
The 2018 season represented Goff’s arrival as an elite passer. He set a then-franchise record with 4,688 passing yards and 32 touchdown passes, and he tied an NFL record by posting a perfect 158.3 passer rating in a Week 4 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Goff led the Rams to a 13–3 regular season, a Wild Card win over the Falcons, an overtime victory against the Saints in the NFC Championship, and a trip to Super Bowl LIII, where the Rams fell 13–3 to the New England Patriots. He earned his second consecutive Pro Bowl nod.
Detroit Lions Era (2021–Present)
On March 18, 2021, Goff was traded to the Detroit Lions as part of the package that brought Matthew Stafford to Los Angeles. His early tenure in Detroit was rocky, including an oblique injury in 2021 and growing pains as the franchise rebuilt around him. However, by 2022, Goff had stabilized the offense with 4,438 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, earning his third Pro Bowl selection.
In 2023, Goff guided Detroit to its first division title since 1993, threw for five touchdowns in a win over the Denver Broncos, and orchestrated the franchise’s first playoff victory since 1991 with a Wild Card win over the Rams. He added a Divisional Round win over the Buccaneers before Detroit fell to the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game.
The 2024 campaign marked the peak of Goff’s Detroit tenure. On May 16, 2024, he signed a four-year, $212 million contract extension with $170 million guaranteed. He set career highs with 37 touchdown passes, a 111.8 passer rating, and a 72.4% completion rate, leading the Lions to a franchise-best 15–2 record and the NFC’s top seed. He was named to his fourth Pro Bowl. Detroit was upset at home by the Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round.
Driving Style and Strengths
Goff is recognized for his accuracy, pre-snap processing, and timing-based passing within structured offensive schemes. He excels in play-action and intermediate route concepts, producing five career games with a perfect 158.3 passer rating. His partnership with offensive coordinators in both Los Angeles and Detroit has allowed him to thrive in spread and shotgun-heavy attacks.
Notable Events and Milestones
Goff’s signature performances include a 465-yard, five-touchdown masterpiece against the Vikings in 2018, a 542-yard Cal single-game record against Arizona State in 2015, and a 19-for-19 passing performance against the Seahawks in 2024 that made him the first quarterback in NFL history to complete all of his passes with at least 11 attempts. He is one of only five quarterbacks in postseason history to record 275-plus passing yards with an 80% completion rate and a 120-plus passer rating in a single game.
Jared Goff Career Wins
Across his NFL career with the Rams and Lions, Goff has accumulated 5× Pro Bowl honors (2017, 2018, 2022, 2024, 2025), the PFWA Most Improved Player award for 2017, and a Super Bowl LIII appearance. He has also been recognized as NFC Offensive Player of the Week multiple times and was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for October 2024, becoming the first Lions quarterback to win that award.
Detroit Lions Highlights
Goff has started at quarterback for Detroit since 2021 and has guided the franchise to back-to-back NFC North titles in 2023 and 2024. He earned Pro Bowl honors in 2022, 2024, and 2025 and set franchise single-season records during the 2024 regular season. His 37-touchdown campaign in 2024 is a Detroit single-season record.
Other Wins and Performances
With the California Golden Bears, Goff was a first-team All-Pac-12 selection in 2015 and set Pac-12 Conference single-season records for passing yards (4,714) and touchdown passes (43). He led Cal to a victory in the 2015 Armed Forces Bowl and was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week twice during that junior season.
Jared Goff Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Goff’s father, Jerry Goff, played Major League Baseball, giving the quarterback a deep athletic heritage. Jared also has an older sister, Lauren, and grew up in Novato, California, where his family’s sports background helped shape his path toward football.
Personal Life
Goff married model Christen Harper on June 22, 2024, in a private ceremony in Ojai, California, after becoming engaged on June 16, 2022. The couple met on the celebrity dating app Raya, and Harper was co-winner of the 2021 Sports Illustrated Swim Search. Their daughter was born on July 15, 2025. Goff has spoken publicly about an enzyme deficiency that limits his ability to process red meat.
2025 Season Performance
Jared Goff opened the 2025 regular season with a strong Week 2 showing against the Chicago Bears, completing 23 of 28 passes for 334 yards and five touchdowns in a 52–21 victory, a performance that earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He continued to produce at a high level throughout the year, finishing the season with 4,564 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and eight interceptions as the Lions posted a 9–8 record and missed the postseason.
Despite the team’s playoff absence, Goff’s individual play remained elite. He was added to the 2026 Pro Bowl roster as a replacement for Sam Darnold, marking his fifth career Pro Bowl honor and reinforcing his standing among the league’s top quarterbacks.
Looking ahead, Goff remains under contract with the Lions through the 2027 season with an option for 2028, following the four-year, $212 million extension he signed in May 2024. With stability at quarterback and a proven offensive system, Detroit’s outlook for 2026 centers on returning to NFC North contention and recapturing the 15–2 form of 2024.
