The Detroit Lions will have five permanent captains for the 2021 season, including new quarterback Jared Goff.
Goff was voted a captain by teammates, the Lions announced Monday, along with center Frank Ragnow and linebackers Alex Anzalone, Trey Flowers and Jalen Reeves-Maybin (on special teams).
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The Lions acquired Goff in an offseason trade with the Los Angeles Rams in January. The trade became official at the start of the new league year in March, and not long after, Goff convened several throwing sessions with receivers to get a jump on the new playbook.
Lions coach Dan Campbell and others have praised Goff’s leadership this summer, with quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell comparing him to former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees in that regard.
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“He has a lot of qualities that I saw in Drew Brees in really the passion for the game, the work ethic, the leadership, so there are some similarities there, which is great to see,” Brunell said. “So yeah, I would say that seeing some Drew Brees in Jared Goff, which is good. But you’re an NFL quarterback, you’re supposed to have a good work ethic, you’re supposed to have some arm talent and you’re supposed to be a leader, and Jared certainly possesses all of those.”
Ragnow, coming off a Pro Bowl season at center, joins Goff as the Lions’ offensive captains, while Flowers — the only returning captain — and newcomer Anzalone are the Lions’ defensive captains.
Goff also was a three-time captain with the Rams.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.