Gary Danielson

Jared Goff's closing in on Gary Danielson's 13,764 Lions passing yards with way more efficiency—over 30,000 yards already—and playoff wins Danielson never sniffed, but Gary's the gritty '70s survivor who started 66 games through Monte Clark's meat-grinder rosters. Goff's got the toys; Danielson was the pocket warrior in an era of no mercy, sitting pretty at #24 on HeyTC's All-Time Lions QBs.

Nope, Gary Danielson's not in Canton—no bust for the Purdue gunslinger who threw 81 NFL TDs split between Lions and Browns. His 74-34 record as a Detroit starter screams tough-nosed competence in the run-first '70s and '80s, but Hall voters chase rings and stats he never piled up. Still, he's Lions royalty without the gold jacket.

As of early 2026, Gary Danielson's freshly retired from CBS after 20 years calling college games, his Sun Bowl sign-off hilariously cut short by a commercial—like hanging up mid-thank-you to Purdue, Lions, and Browns families. Charles Davis slides in for Big Ten duties; Gary's kicking back, maybe plotting that tell-all on 36 booth years.

Danielson's quick release and smarts would've feasted under today's pass-happy rules—no more 10-sack Sundays from unblocked blitzes. His 75% completion in '87 (140 rating!) screams modern fit, like a poor man's Aaron Rodgers in motion-light offenses. Lions fans dream of his poise amid Ford Field chaos, padding those 13,764 yards into 25K territory.

Bobby Layne's the whiskey-slinging wizard with a 38.72 Lions rating and titles, while Danielson's steady 26.81 mark came amid expansion-era defenses that ate QBs alive. Layne was circus magic; Gary, the cerebral mechanic fixing Monte Clark's jalopies for 66 starts. Both Ford Field immortals, but Layne's chaos edges the duel.