Since entering the NFL in 2023, Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs has steadily risen among the ranks of the league's best backs.
There are some national rankings that list him as a top three back in the league entering 2025. It's hard to argue with those lofty projections after Gibbs led the league with 20 total touchdowns last season and racked up 1,929 scrimmage yards.
Gibbs ranked fifth in rushing yards (1,412), third in rushing average (5.65) and tied for the league lead with 13 games with at least one touchdown last year.
Gibbs said Sunday he's in a great spot heading into his third NFL season and has really settled into his role as a dual-threat weapon in this offense. He has 104 combined receptions over his first two seasons.
He makes up one half of arguably the best running back duo in the NFL alongside veteran David Montgomery, who said he's entering the 2025 season with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder.
"This is probably the hungriest I've been (entering a season)," Montgomery said Sunday after Detroit's first practice of training camp. "I feel like a lot of people kind of forget I'm here in the offense too. I'm not here to prove anyone wrong. I'm here to prove myself right and be the best teammate I can be, but I definitely have a big chip on my shoulder."
After rushing for 1,015 yards (4.6 avg.) and 13 touchdowns in 14 games in 2023, his first season in Detroit after coming over from Chicago in free agency, Montgomery saw those numbers dip a bit last year to 775 rushing yards (4.2) and 12 touchdowns in 14 games, missing time late in the season with a knee injury.
We saw Gibbs and Montgomery on the field together some in Sunday's first practice of training camp. Head coach Dan Campbell emphasized the importance of the run game as Detroit breaks in a new offensive coordinator in John Morton and is looking for two new starters upfront along their offensive line.
"I think we've got a real good vision of where I see it going and where we want it to go and what we believe in," Campbell said Sunday regarding the offense. "Man, the ground game is important, it'll always be important."
Detroit topped 2,000 rushing yards (2,488) and 25 rushing touchdowns (26) last season notching 15 games with at least 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Detroit was the first team in NFL history last season to have two running backs (Gibbs and Montgomery) and two receivers (Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams) to record at least 1,000 scrimmage yards in a single season.
This offense is built on a run-first mentality and that's not going to change as long as Campbell is in charge. Detroit has two really good backs in Gibbs and Montgomery, plus good depth behind them, to keep the run game a consistent threat.
Both players know together they are going to be the key to any Super Bowl run in Detroit.
"We know what we want to do," Gibbs said. "Not too much talking needs to be said about it."
