NFC Notes: Kirk Cousins, Jared Goff, Justin Jefferson, Lions, Packers, Vikings

Lions

Lions GM Brad Holmes told reporters on Monday that he couldn’t be prouder of QB Jared Goff and the job he’s done for Detroit.

“I’ve always had belief in Jared. You guys have always heard me [say] that,” Holmes said, per Lions X account. “I don’t know what more needs to be said from a leadership or performance standpoint — or what more he needs to do in that regard. But in terms of the belief as always, I think I said this to you guys before, he got drafted in ’16 and he wasn’t a full-time starter. But ’17 was his first year as a full-time starter and he made the playoffs. And got exited versus the Falcons that year, but the second year as a full-time starter, he went to a Super Bowl. And what I didn’t understand — I didn’t understand why his career was defined after he went to a Super Bowl [in his] second year as a full-time starter.

“And so, then when he came to us, I always had belief. So him doing what he did this past year or even the year before, it’s not a surprise to us. I just know how he’s wired. I know the talent he has. I know the leadership he has. I know his mental and physical toughness. I know what he’s made [of]. And I think his peers and definitely his teammates recognize the same things. So, just happy about [about] what he’s done and just couldn’t be more proud of everything he’s achieved.”

Packers

New Packers DC Jeff Hafley said he missed focusing his coaching efforts on the defensive side while he was Boston College’s head coach from 2020-2023, which is why he took an apparent demotion to get back into the NFL. At this point the job of college football head coach entails way more than just coaching football. 

“Now that I’m the ‘general manager’ and you’re trying to manage ‘the cap’ and you don’t really know what the cap is and now you’re fundraising,” Hafley said, via Christopher Kuhagen of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I mean I want to coach football. I want to coach more defense than I did last year and now it’s just prioritizing again. I got to coach again. I miss coaching DBs, but how am I going to do that and that’s what I need to figure out.”

Hafley said stopping the quarterback from running is different in college compared to the NFL. 

“You just gotta stop the quarterback run game,” Hafley said. “It’s almost a different game (in comparing the college game to the pros). Cause the quarterback in the NFL, they’re going to run it in big moments or in the red zone or on third down or in a championship game. So you gotta change.”

Vikings

Vikings WR Justin Jefferson was asked about the possibility of playing without QB Kirk Cousins.

“It could be Kirk, it could not be Kirk,” Jefferson said, via NFL.com. “I have no idea, but it doesn’t matter who’s going to be throwing me that ball, you know I’m going to be that same type of player.”

“I’ll really have to see if we really bring back Kirk or not, if we decide to want to draft, or want to pick up a quarterback,” Jefferson added. “All of that plays a part, but also, I still managed to get 1,000 yards by playing through four different quarterbacks as well, so it really doesn’t matter too much who’s throwing me that ball as long as someone’s throwing it to me. I feel like I’m confident and I have the ability to make plays, no matter if the ball is 100 percent accurate or if it’s a little behind or a little in front or a little off. So I’m always confident in my game, confident that I’m going to play the same no matter who’s going to throw me the ball, but of course, having Kirk out there to be that leader and that captain, to throw that ball with accuracy and precise as he does, it definitely is very valuable and useful being a receiver.”