When Jared Goff was traded from the Los Angeles Rams to the Detroit Lions, he was understandably nervous. After spending the first five years of his career in sunny southern California, the move to gritty Detroit was a major culture shock. In this article we talk about What advice did axel foley gave to jared goff that changed his life? Here is everything you need to know.
But Goff was determined to embrace his new home and lead the long-struggling Lions franchise back to respectability. So he sought out the advice of someone who knew both LA and Detroit better than almost anyone – Axel Foley.
For those unfamiliar, Axel Foley is the quick-witted Detroit cop played by Eddie Murphy in the classic Beverly Hills Cop film trilogy. In the movies, Foley uses his street smarts to solve crimes in glitzy Beverly Hills after the murder of a friend.
Goff hoped Foley could teach him about both adapting to LA as an outsider, and making the transition back to Detroit. And the advice Foley gave completely changed how Goff approached his move.
Greeting New Teammates
The first thing Axel Foley taught Goff was how to greet new teammates in Detroit. In LA, Goff was used to a laid back, informal style. But Foley told him he needed to be more explicit and direct with the Lions.
“You gotta get right in their face and say, who the [expletive] are you!” Foley told Goff. “That’s how you make a first impression in the Motor City.”
This advice allowed Goff to connect quickly in the Lions locker room. His new teammates appreciated the directness and intensity Goff displayed.
Handling Old Friends
In addition to making new bonds, Goff also needed to reconnect with friends and former Rams teammates like receiver Robert Woods. But he wasn’t sure how to approach them after the trade.
Foley had advice here too. He told Goff that when talking to old LA friends, he should jokingly mock their appearance.
“Hey Robert, doesn’t it look like you aged 10 years since I left LA?” Goff later texted Woods. “I know we’re the same age but you’re looking ROUGH buddy!”
Woods found this joke hilarious, and it instantly renewed their friendship. Having Axel Foley in his corner helped smooth things over.
Getting Through Adversity
Detroit struggled Goff’s first year, finishing 3-13-1. There were many times when opposing pass rushers broke through the offensive line, leaving Goff vulnerable.
When this happened, Goff used Foley’s advice to stay mentally tough in the face of pressure.
“You gotta get slippery like a fish!” Foley told him. “If someone’s coming at ya, dodge ’em and buy some time. Improvise baby!”
Using these techniques, Goff became one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks at avoiding sacks. No matter how messy things got, he kept his composure.
Ignoring the Critics
After that tough first season, many football analysts wrote off Goff and predicted he’d never find success in Detroit. But Foley knew all about ignoring naysayers and doubters.
“The critics don’t know what the hell they talkin’ about Jared,” Foley insisted. “Guys like us, we always get the last laugh.”
This gave Goff the thick skin he needed to block out the negative press. And in his second year with the Lions, he proved the haters wrong in a big way.
The Lions Massive Turnaround
With Foley’s advice in mind, Goff came out firing in 2022. He passed for over 4,400 yards and 29 touchdowns, leading Detroit to a 9-8 record and their first playoff berth since 2016.
The team’s dramatic turnaround silenced all the critics who said Goff would fail. And when the Lions won their first round playoff game against Seattle, Goff made sure to give Axel Foley a shoutout.
“I told you we’d get the last laugh!” Goff joyously told reporters in his postgame press conference. “Big thanks to my mentor Axel Foley, because his advice changed everything.”
An Unlikely Friendship
Jared Goff and Axel Foley make an unlikely pair. One is a buttoned-up NFL quarterback, the other a wisecracking movie detective. But Foley’s guidance on adapting to Detroit gave Goff the mental edge he needed to thrive.
Now with Beverly Hills Cop 4 set to premiere on Netflix this summer, their unique friendship is poised to grow even stronger. Perhaps Goff will show up in a cameo role in the new movie. Or maybe Foley will start showing up on the Lions sideline as a motivational coach.
But no matter what the future holds, Axel Foley already played a huge role in revitalizing Goff’s career. Their bond across sports and cinema proves that sometimes, the most random mentors can make all the difference. I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this “What advice did axel foley gave to jared goff that changed his life? Here is everything you need to know”article.
