It is very common for veterans and star players alike to not play during the preseason or at the very least not play for most of the preseason.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell believes in a similar strategy as he has recently announced his plans for whether or not starting quarterback Jared Goff will play in the team’s first preseason game against the New York Giants this week.
“Some of the guys we know we’re gonna count on during the season, I don’t see them necessarily playing, and if they do, not very many reps…I don’t see Goff playing in this one,” Campbell recently said in front of the Detroit media.
Jared Goff is unlikely to play in Thursday’s Lions preseason opener, Dan Campbell said.
“Some of the guys we know we’re gonna count on during the season, I don’t seem them necessarily playing, and if they do, not very many reps,” he said.
pic.twitter.com/ralSlcpqOs— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) August 6, 2024
This is the sensible decision for most head coaches who have veteran quarterbacks because the preseason is essentially meaningless.
Sure, the preseason games mean a lot to players who are fighting for their NFL lives, but that just means that those players are going to be going 100%.
Why risk getting your quarterback injured when the results don’t count for anything?
Goff, 29, should not be put in harm’s way unless he has to be.
Detroit fans should be very happy about this call from Campbell.
Instead of playing the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback in Goff, look for the Lions to play backups Hendon Hooker and Nate Sudfeld.
If Goff was to play at all in the preseason, that could likely come in the form of a drive or two in the final preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on August 24th.