Jared Goff is returning to the Bay Area. But this time, the California Golden Bears icon is aiming to steal the NFC championship from the team he grew up idolizing.
Goff led the Detroit Lions to a 31-23 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field on Sunday, completing 30 of 43 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns.
Afterward, Goff admitted to NBC Sports sideline reporter Melissa Stark that he grew up a San Francisco 49ers fan – having grown up in nearby Novato (Calif.). But now, Goff is out to hand the Lions their first-ever conference title in the Super Bowl era and will have to do it at the 49ers’ home of Levi’s Stadium.
Goff joins elite company by defeating the Buccaneers. He is now the seventh NFL quarterback to lead two different organizations to the conference championship game. He is currently on the same list as Tom Brady, Kurt Warner, Joe Montana, and Brett Favre. Goff recently led the Los Angeles Rams to the NFC Championship in 2018.
In the end, Goff threw two 9-yard touchdown passes in the win. He sent his first pass to Josh Reynolds, who was alone in the back of the end zone for Detroit’s first touchdown. Then, Amon-Ra St. Brown helped extend the lead late with a right-hand corner scoop in the end zone, his only touchdown catch of the game.
