Former NFL head coach believes Jared Goff could win MVP in 2023

The hype train just keeps on going for the Detroit Lions. Every time you think it's going to stop, it just plows past the the train stop and drives up the stairs into the city streets like that scene from Speed. The hype train is a subway train by the way. On Friday it might of […]

Mike Payton — Detroit Lions Beat Writer

Jul 15, 2023 9:53 AM EDT

Former Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano is working with The 33rd team these days and he was asked to select his dark horse MVP candidate. He selected Lions quarterback Jared Goff.

If Jared Goff leads the #Lions to an NFC North title, could he work his way into the MVP race next season? @ChuckPaganoNFL thinks he could earn serious consideration ?
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) July 14, 2023

This is very similar to the same argument I made for Dan Campbell to win the coach of the year in our way too early award predictions. Anyone that can lead the Lions to territory they haven't been before could get some serious consideration for awards. They don't have to win the Super Bowl or even a playoff game. Remember, this is a regular season award. If Goff can lead this team to a division title and a home playoff game, that's huge. But it could it be enough?

Goff is really going to have to bring it though. Even if he has played well in Detroit, the wrap on him with a lot of people is that he failed in Los Angeles and that's all they think about when it comes to Goff.

He also has to find a way to get over the favorite's. Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen are already the top choices to win the award. While they're all really good, their popularity does a lot of work for them too. Goff and the Lions have to get red hot and beat some big teams while racking up big stats if he hopes to be the Lions first MVP since Barry Sanders won the award in 1997.

At this point in time, I just don't think Goff will win the MVP. I think the Lions will do all the things that Pagano laid out, but the award will still go to one of the other guys. I just think it's a popularity contest. The award is always going to go to the guy with the most eyes on him. History tells us that the Lions usually don't have the most eyes on them. Although, things can always change.