The Detroit Lions failed to make the playoffs after their Week 17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. On the surface, that feels almost surreal. This is the same team that entered the season coming off two straight NFC North titles, a No. 1 seed last year, and a trip to the NFC Championship Game in the 2023–24 season. What feels even more bizarre is what followed their recent loss. Quarterback Jared Goff’s name began popping up in trade conversations. But head coach Dan Campbell has had enough of it.

“Jared Goff is a stud,” Campbell said on Tuesday, in a conversation with  97.1 The Ticket. “We’re fortunate to have him as a quarterback. He’s a winning quarterback in this league. He played at a very high level all season long. He played even better than he played the year before, and he’s continued to play better.

“He’s a pro. He’s going nowhere.”

Why did the quarterback’s name start popping up in trade conversations? Well, he was responsible for five of his team’s six turnovers, including three lost fumbles and two interceptions against Minnesota. That said, he was not the catalyst for this team missing the playoffs.

It is important to note that the signal-caller had to adjust to a new offensive coordinator, a mid-season play-caller switch, and also an offensive line that is not functioning at the level it should. In fact, the interior offensive line is the main reason Goff has had to make plays despite facing the pressure, and that worked against him.

He has completed 68.3% of his throws for 4,233 yards with 33 touchdowns and seven picks this season. He has also been sacked 36 times, which is a career-high. Despite that, Goff still ranks third in passing yards, fifth in completion percentage, and second in passing touchdowns. Plus, his even interceptions put him among the league’s best.

Pro Football Focus ranks him 16th among quarterbacks who took at least 20% of their team’s dropbacks this season.

The quarterback has carried the offense before the Week 17 turnover problem. For instance, in the three games before Minnesota, Goff threw for more than 300 yards each with seven touchdowns and zero turnovers. No wonder his coach shut down trade speculations. That said, there are two more reasons a trade doesn’t make sense.

The first is his contract. Goff has a no-trade clause, and unless something truly ugly happens, he’s not waiving it. Even beyond that, the financial side is brutal. Trading him after the season would leave Detroit with more than $40 million in dead cap, while freeing up only a little over $25 million in space. From a roster-building standpoint, that’s a losing move.

The second reason is that the quarterback has a strong relationship with Campbell.

So, the team’s best bet is to retain Goff, restructure his deal in 2026 and open up cap space, and use that to build the offense.

While Campbell has been clear about his quarterback, what did he say about his defensive coordinator’s future?

Dan Campbell refused to address his DC, Kelvin Sheppard’s future

“I’m going to be looking at a lot of things because I do not like being home for the playoffs, and I know our guys don’t either,” Dan Campbell said after the Lions failed to make the postseason. And as Detroit prepares to close out the regular season and head into the offseason, the defense will also be a major area of focus.

The numbers explain why. The Lions slipped from the seventh-best scoring defense in 2024 (20.1 points per game) to 23rd this season (24.8 PPG). Beyond points allowed, Detroit also continued to surrender too many explosive plays through the air. They gave up 56 completions of 20-plus yards.

Through 17 weeks, their defense allowed 1,882 rushing yards, giving up 4.4 yards per carry, as per StatMuse. It’s not disastrous, but vulnerable? Perhaps. And that vulnerability is exactly why Campbell was asked whether defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard’s job is safe heading into 2026. But Campbell didn’t offer much clarity.

Top Stories

Sean Payton Announces Retirement Plans as Broncos HC Demands Improvement From Bo Nix & Co. Before Playoffs

Dez Bryant Unloads on Jerry Jones & Cowboys Over ‘Blackmailing,’ Defends Micah Parsons in Negotiations

Philip Rivers Announces Retirement Decision After Colts Benched 44-YO QB

Sean McDermott Announces Bad News for Bills After Massive Update on Josh Allen’s Injury

Former Packers QB Makes Decision on Shark Tank’s Offer for His $850K Business

“I’m not anywhere yet. I’ve got one game left here,” he told 97.1 The Ticket. “I’m not about to start going through what I’m going to do here or there. I’m not.

“I think Shep’s done a damn good job. There’s always going to be things that you learn from this job, but I like Shep.”

For now, it doesn’t seem like the Lions will cut ties with Sheppard just yet. After all, he is wrapping up his first season as Detroit’s defensive coordinator, and the 2025 campaign doubled as a learning year for both him and the Lions. What will the 2026 offseason ultimately bring? That’s a conversation for the months ahead.