Jared Goff's $212M Lions Contract Includes NFL-Record $73M Signing Bonus

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff made NFL history Thursday by officially signing his four-year contract extension.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported earlier this week that Goff and the Lions agreed to a four-year, $212 million extension. On Thursday, Schefter added that Goff put pen to paper on a deal that includes a $73 million signing bonus, which is the largest in NFL history.

The new contract ties Goff to the Lions through 2028 after he helped lead them to the NFC Championship Game last season.

In addition to the record signing bonus, Goff is now the second-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL annually, as his $53 million-per-year salary trails only Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow's salary of $55 million.

Goff landing such a significant contract seemed highly unlikely just three years ago when he seemed like a throw-in as part of the trade that sent quarterback Matthew Stafford from Detroit to the Los Angeles Rams.

The Rams took Goff No. 1 overall in the 2016 NFL draft, and he went on to enjoy a great deal of success in L.A., earning two Pro Bowl selections, making the playoffs three times and reaching the Super Bowl once in five seasons.

However, the Rams felt like a quarterback upgrade was needed to get over the hump and win a championship, so they dealt Goff, a 2022 first-round pick, a 2023 first-round pick and a 2021 third-round pick to the Lions for Stafford.

The move paid dividends for the Rams, as Stafford led them to a Super Bowl win in 2021, but it has also helped put the Lions back on the map.

Goff had a somewhat shaky first season with the Lions in 2021, and the team finished 3-13-1, but they have made huge strides since then.

Detroit improved to 9-8 in 2022, falling just short of the playoffs. Much of that was thanks to Goff having one of his best statistical seasons, as he completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 4,438 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Last season, Goff earned his third career Pro Bowl selection by virtue of completing 67.3 percent of his passing attempts for 4,575 yards, 30 touchdowns and 12 picks.

The Lions went 12-5, winning their first division title since 1993 and reaching the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1991.

Detroit disappointingly blew a 24-7 lead against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, but the franchise is clearly on the right path, and investing so heavily in Goff suggests there is a great deal of belief in him to guide the Lions to their first Super Bowl.