“He’s just everything we want in a linebacker”: Lions’ GM says lengthy pursuit of Goforth paying off

Goforth is making a habit of salience at training camp in Kamloops, putting the sort of consistency on display that demands attention from coaching staff and management personnel.

“Some guys flash and their arc is going up and then they have a couple of bad days,” Rigmaiden said. “Ralen’s been incredibly steady. It’s everything coming to fruition.”

Goforth, from Long Beach, Calif., played from 2019 to 2022 for the University of Southern California before transferring to the University of Washington for his final NCAA Division One campaign in 2023.

The 6-foot-1, 227-pound linebacker pushed his way onto the Lions’ radar during his stint with the Huskies.

“He’s got the size,” Rigmaiden said. “He’s got the athleticism. He ran extremely well. He’s got the speed. He’s also got the toughness. He’s got a history of playing special teams at Washington.”

Goforth was passed over in the 2024 NFL Draft and signed with the Green Bay Packers.

He suffered a concussion and an ankle injury in the NFL pre-season that year and was released in November of 2024.

Goforth, whose injury history also includes a torn MCL, opted to take a year off in 2025, stiff-arming Rigmaiden’s offer to join the club last year.

“He kept hitting my line over and over again,” Goforth said. “I told him I’d have a decision for him by around Christmas. I called him right before Christmastime. I told him, ‘I want to come up here and win a championship with you guys and be a part of something special.”

Established veterans in the linebacking corps have competition, with Goforth and second-year standout Jeremy Lewis among those pushing for more time on the field.

(Lewis picked up a minor injury this week, Rigmaiden said, but has been explosive at camp, according to linebackers’ coach Mark Washington).

Rigmaiden said Goforth is in the same position as most first-year players: “Any rookie is going to find their way onto the field here with special teams.”

But an expanded role seems likely if Goforth’s steady ascension at camp continues.

“The football instincts, the athleticism, the way he finds the ball, the way he reads the quarterback’s eyes, that’s something that we’re watching every single day,” Rigmaiden said. “There becomes a point for every young player if they’re playing special teams and playing at a high level, it’s, ‘Hey, let’s get this guy on the field. Let’s come up with some packages to use and slowly bring him onto the field as a defender.’ I know the coaches are high on him, just like the personnel staff.”

Rigmaiden was asked if Goforth’s injury history is a concern.

“You’re always worried about injuries for every player, but with somebody that’s had some history in the past, you’re always thinking, ‘Hey, is this going to happen again?'” Rigmaiden said. “They weren’t chronic. It wasn’t a degenerative condition. Sometimes, you just get a little bit of bad luck with injuries and Ralen is no different.”

Goforth said he was buoyed by positive reinforcement from teammates and coaches after rookie camp wrapped up last weekend.

“I like playing aggressive, an every-down linebacker, whether it’s blitzing off the edge, coverage, a run-stopper or playing out in space, I pride myself on getting to the ball and with bad intentions,” Goforth said.

Making an impact in the CFL this year is the goal.

“Oh man, I want it bad, with everything in me,” Goforth said. “When you take a year off from ball, you appreciate everything a lot more – every blade of turf, every blade of grass – I don’t t take it for granted.”

by Marty Hastings

“He’s just everything we want in a linebacker”: Lions’ GM says lengthy pursuit of Goforth paying off

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