It would obviously be ridiculous if he said anything, but Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff appears to be a fan of the team’s new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.
Talking with media down at the Pro Bowl, Goff called the hiring of Petzing a “home run hire.”
“He’s done it before,” Goff said. “He’s been a coordinator, he’s called plays, and I think he was a home run hire, and I’m really excited for him.”
While Goff doesn’t have any previous history with Petzing, the Lions quarterback made sure to do his homework
before the team made the hire. He reached out to some players who have played under Petzing, including Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who was drafted in the same class as Goff. The response was overwhelming.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to about him prior to him being hired was glowing,” Goff said. “In particular, quarterbacks who have played for him were glowing. I think the thing that excites me the most is going to be his versatility. He’s not tied to an offense. We’re going to kind of run what we’re best at and what we should be doing, which, some of the stuff we’ve done the last few years, that’s worked.”
Goff was reportedly part of the hiring process when it comes to Petzing, talking via phone to the coach prior to his employment, and he came away impressed with how he talks ball.
“He’s very smart, very bright,” Goff said. “Can speak it, can say it. Understands what I’m talking about. I’m really excited.”
As for what the Lions offense will look like, Goff reiterated what general manager Brad Holmes said about Petzing last week at the Senior Bowl: the Lions will be playing Petzing’s offense, rather than Petzing calling the Lions’ offense—although there will be a clear collaboration between Petzing and some of the successful things Detroit has accomplished on offense over the past few years.
“He understands what we’re saying from a pass-game standpoint and how we want to do things, and how he wants to do things,” Goff said. “By no means is he going to be running our stuff. We’re running his offense, but there’s going to be a certainly a blend of what I like, what he likes, what Saint [Amon-Ra St. Brown] likes, what Jamo [Jameson Williams] likes, and everybody.”
