Picture this: the Detroit Lions, known for their gridiron grit, swapping cleats for sneakers and hitting the hardwood. It’s like watching your favorite rock band unplug for an acoustic set—unexpected, but oddly satisfying. Jared Goff, the QB, threw his helmet aside—pads off, sneakers laced, talking trash like it’s Game 7 of the Finals. Big guys are setting screens, speedsters are driving to the hoop, and maybe a lineman is pulling up for a three like he’s Steph Curry.Back to reality, and imagine if these guys had picked a different sport? That sounds pretty odd, but it turns out some of the Lions’ key players played a different sport hoop in their teenage years. And let’s just say the footage doesn’t lie. On Thursday, Goff took to his official Instagram handle and shared a post originally posted by the Lions on their IG handle.

Now, that’s where things take a different route. See, the Lions shared a few pictures of their players while playing at a basketball court during their high school or college years. Starting with the QB himself, the guy looked like he was trying out for High School Musical—that skinny kid in the navy jersey of Marin Catholic High School.

Look, when we talk about Goff, we see a QB with an elite pocket presence who started his football career back in his high-school days for Marin Catholic. The guy wasn’t just slinging the rock in high school—he was torching defenses for fun. Nearly 7,700 yards, 93 touchdowns, and only 18 picks in three seasons at Marin Catholic? No wonder the guy was the No. 1 overall pick back in the 2016 NFL draft. The kicker?

Well, the Lions’ QB knows a thing or two about basketball as well, considering the 30-year-old veteran QB played for Marin Catholic basketball back in the day. His track record? Uh, just say he wasn’t exactly lighting up the scoreboard. In 30 games, he scored a total of 72 points, averaging 2.4 a night. Shot 40% from the field, but from three? Yeah, let’s not talk about that—0-for-1 ain’t that good. Safe to say that football was the right call.

But that’s not the end here. Besides Goff, the Detroit team also shared some glimpses of their other key players. For starters, the Lions’ RB Jahmyr “Sonic” Gibbs, cornerback Terrion Arnold, long snapper Hogan Hatten, and wide receiver Tim Patrick. Oh yeah, let’s not forget the team’s linebacker, Jack Campbell, tight end Sam LaPorta, and offensive tackle Taylor Decker. Uff! A lot of basketball enthusiasts on Detroit’s elite roster.

Speaking of elite, how can we forget the Lions’ general manager, Brad Holmes, who just got a tag of elite GM in the NFL.

Former general manager praises Jared Goff’s Lions’ GM

In the past couple of years, the Lions have tasted success under GM Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell. There’s no doubt about that. One of the major factors behind their success is arguably due to their astute draft selections. Back in 2023, the Lions drafted TE LaPorta, who set a new NFL record by a rookie TE (70 receptions). And to top that off, the guy even grabbed the second-team All-Pro honors.

Besides, let’s not forget when the Lions drafted Jahmyr Gibbs with 12th overall. The result? The RB rushed nearly 1,000 yards in his rookie season. Jump to his sophomore year, and the guy rushed for 1,412 yards while racking up 16 TDs. No wonder that elevated Holmes on the list of top-tier GMs in the NFL, and former GM and current ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum couldn’t agree more.

“I think if you, if you add three or four meaningfully contributing players, and you do that over three, four or five years, you have a cost control roster that has sustained success,” Tannenbaum said while speaking at a conference on Wednesday. “So I know we get so caught up on, you know, when you pick and what they should be, but I think that’s a general rule of thumb. I would certainly put Brad Holmes up there in the elite category. I’d argue with anybody, how not?” The Lions’ success reflects the same essence.

But there’s a over a decade long journey behind this success of Holmes. See, before joining the Lions as their GM, Holmes served in different executive roles with the Rams. Especially from 2003 to 2012, when he served as scout, area scout, national Combine scout, and scouting assistant. Following that, the 45-year-old GM was promoted to director of college scouting.

Fast forward to 2021. After spending nearly a couple of decades with the Rams, Holmes was appointed as the next GM of the Lions. Holmes is now entering his fifth year as the GM. And sure, he’s looking to lift the first Super Bowl title in the franchise’s history.