The Detroit Lions outmaneuvered the Dallas Cowboys both on the field during their Week 6 matchup in the 2024 NFL season and behind the scenes in the 2023 NFL Draft.
General manager Brad Holmes raised eyebrows by trading down to the No. 12 pick to select running back Jahmyr Gibbs, a move that reportedly outsmarted Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
In a recent interview, Gibbs revealed there were two teams likely to draft him if Detroit hadn’t made their move. “To Detroit, no, I really didn’t (expect to land there). I knew they liked me, but you know when you go on a visit, it seems like they all like you,” Gibbs shared on Richard Sherman’s podcast.
“It was crazy, I knew for a fact Dallas was going to get me at 26 if I was still there, and a couple other places like Cincinnati were going to get me. I think they (Cincinnati) were going to trade up to like 18 or something around that range. I didn’t think I was going to go 12th.”
The Cowboys, now sitting at 3-6 with a struggling quarterback in Dak Prescott, have seen their playoff hopes all but vanish. Perhaps their season would have looked different had they landed Gibbs.