Amon-Ra St. Brown wasn't exactly thrilled to be drafted three years ago by the Lions. They were "a losing franchise," he said, that was never on TV in his native Southern California and a division rival of his brother Equanimeous St. Brown, who at the time played for the Packers. When St. Brown got the call from Brad Holmes, he said he "was happy, but unhappy at the same time." Then he heard from Jared Goff.
"He was the first guy that texted me from the Lions," St. Brown said last Friday on 97.1 The Ticket, a day after signing a four-year, $120 million extension with Detroit. "He said, 'Congratulations, enjoy the moment. You’re going to be a big part of this offense.' He texted me like 20, 30 minutes after I got drafted, so I remember that."
Goff, too, was entering his first season with the Lions. Later that offseason, he flew the team's receivers, tight ends and running backs out to California for some throwing sessions. For St. Brown, "it was pretty cool for me to see a QB that’s a leader taking his guys under his wing. ... And ever since then, man, he’s been awesome. He’s been obviously a great quarterback, but just a great human being."
So St. Brown was just returning the favor when he stepped to the podium last Thursday in front of 275,000 fans in downtown Detroit and kicked off the NFL Draft by leading a chant of Ja-red Goff! It rang throughout the city, just as it did on the Lions' run to the NFC title game last season.
After St. Brown and Penei Sewell signed mega-extensions with the Lions last week, Goff is next in line. His salary will approach $50 million per year, the going rate for a quarterback who's second in the NFL over the past two seasons in yards, third in touchdowns and fifth in passer rating (98.6). And, while we're here, tied for fourth in wins with Lamar Jackson, trailing only Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts.
Jackson and Hurts signed deals last offseason worth more than $50 million per year, and that was before the salary cap spiked by a record $30 million in 2024.
Reports last week said that nothing between Goff and the Lions is imminent, though the two sides have been talking since last season. It's only a matter of time before a deal gets done -- and St. Brown says it will be sooner than later.
"I want it bad," he said. "I’m confident it will get done here in the near future, but I want him to be here as long as I’m here. He’s all I know, honestly. He’s the only quarterback I’ve ever played with in the league; he’s missed a few games when I’ve been playing but not too many. He’s the quarterback that I came in with. This whole team, we’ve all built something special here and I can’t wait. I know it’s going to get done. I just can’t wait for it to get done and congratulate him because he deserves it, man."
As for his own extension, which briefly made him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL before A.J. Brown got a $32 million-per-year deal from the Eagles, St. Brown said it was "something I feel like I’ve been working toward for a long time."
"But my goal is to be here for much longer, win a lot more games, hopefully hoist up that Lombardi one day," he said. "That’s the goal, but it feels nice to be rewarded. I’m thankful for everyone that was a part of it, my coaches, my teammates, my agent, the Lions organization, my family, my brothers. I’m just thankful."
These days, St. Brown takes great pride in playing for the Lions, where "we're building toward something great."
"I can’t imagine what it’s like to be drafted now by the Detroit Lions," he said. "I feel like when I got drafted, it was a lot different. I feel like now there’s guys who want to get drafted to Detroit. Once you hear Detroit calling you, I’m sure that call is much sweeter than now it was three years ago for guys."
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