The Detroit Lions strutted into the 2025 season as Super Bowl contenders, boasting back-to-back division titles and a franchise-record 15-2 season in 2024, clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
However, the reality was brutal. The Lions plummeted to the bottom of the division, finishing with a mediocre 9-8 record, barely scraping by with a winning record and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2022. This marked their first last-place finish in the NFC North since 2021.
Quarterback Jared Goff laid bare the team's frustrations during an interview with NFL Network, emphasizing the hunger to reclaim their spot at the top of the division in 2026.
"I think it made us really hungry; it really did," Goff stated about the playoff miss. "Even though we had a winning record and we were 9-8, it was not good enough. We came in fourth place in our division. We came up short in a lot of ways. Finding a way to win our division first and again get back to the top of our division we had one or two years prior. Then see what happens when we get to the playoffs, but we are hungry; we really are."
Despite the disappointing season, Goff's performance remained stellar. He racked up 4,564 passing yards, ranking second in the NFL, with 34 touchdowns and only eight interceptions—his fewest since 2022. His completion rate stood at 68%, and he boasted a passer rating of 105.5, placing him third in the league.
Goff's ability to maintain such high performance levels as he approaches 32 years old in October fuels expectations for Detroit heading into 2026.
The Lions may have seen some talent depart this offseason, but their core remains strong: Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Penei Sewell, and Aidan Hutchinson are all still in the mix.
After experiencing the thrill of being the best team in the NFC just two years ago and then watching their division slip away entirely in 2025, Detroit is determined to show that last season was merely a blip on their radar. The Lions are ready to prove they are still serious title contenders.
