Jahmyr Gibbs Holds the Key to the Lions’ Success—Not Jared Goff
Speed, power, and explosiveness define Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
In 2024, he emerged as Detroit’s most dangerous offensive weapon, building on his impressive rookie season and taking his game to new heights.
The former Alabama standout dominated on the ground, surpassing the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the first time in his career, finishing with 1,412 yards. He also improved as a receiving threat, matching his previous season’s 52 receptions but significantly increasing both his yards per catch (from 6.1 to 9.9) and total receiving yards (from 316 to 517).
Gibbs’ versatility translated into historic production, as he tied for the league lead with 16 rushing touchdowns and set a new Lions franchise record with 20 total touchdowns.
He and David Montgomery formed one of the NFL’s most formidable running back tandems, combining for 2,187 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns in 2024. Their efforts helped Detroit’s backfield generate 3,307 scrimmage yards and 32 total touchdowns—both league-best figures. This marked the first time since the 2006 Chargers that an NFL team’s running backs surpassed 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns from scrimmage.
Although Montgomery was highly effective, Gibbs proved he could handle the workload late in the season.
When Montgomery suffered a knee injury in Week 15 against the Bills, sidelining him for the final three regular-season games, Gibbs stepped up in spectacular fashion. He delivered three straight games with at least 100 rushing yards and a touchdown.
His best performance came in Week 18 against the Vikings—a must-win game for Detroit to secure the NFC North title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Gibbs shredded Minnesota’s defense, rushing for 139 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries, while adding 31 yards and a touchdown on five receptions.
His dominance carried into the playoffs, as he ran for 105 yards and two touchdowns in Detroit’s divisional-round loss to Washington, totaling 175 all-purpose yards—far outpacing Montgomery, who managed just 28 rushing yards on seven carries in his return.
While the Lions boast offensive talent in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta, Gibbs is undeniably their most dynamic weapon. His ability to excel as both a runner and receiver makes him the focal point of Detroit’s attack.
Leaning on Gibbs more would also help reduce the burden on Jared Goff, who threw 12 interceptions during the regular season—his highest total since 2020—along with three more in Detroit’s playoff loss.
With John Morton taking over as offensive coordinator, maximizing Gibbs’ usage in 2025 should be a top priority. Doing so would give the Lions their best shot at maintaining an elite offense and making a deeper playoff run.
