When the Detroit Lions took running back Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall in the 2023, the "position value" truthers were quick to criticize. It was also a double-down on a position that supposedly had decreased value in the NFL, they had signed David Montgomery in free agency.
Gibbs followed by having a Pro Bowl rookie season, with over 1,200 yards from scrimmage and 11 total touchdowns. Since didn't see a ton of work early in his rookie season, the sky felt like the limit for Gibbs in Year 2.
Up until recently, when Montgomery has been out with a knee injury, Gibbs has formed the best running back duo in the NFL ("Sonic and Knuckles") with David Montgomery. If Montgomery had remained healthy, they both may have topped 1,000 rushing yards this season.
Gibbs has been very good as the Lions' workhorse back with Montgomery out, and he entered Sunday night's game against the Minnesota Vikings with 1,759 yards from scrimmage and 16 total touchdowns.
Jahmyr Gibbs sets Lions' franchise single-season record for touchdowns
Touchdowns were hard to come by for a big chunk of Sunday night's game. But Gibbs scored the first touchdown of the game, his 17th of the season, to tie the single-season franchise record.
⚡️⚡️⚡️ @Jahmyr_Gibbs1 ⚡️⚡️⚡️#MINvsDET | 📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/LRB6zvaWzT
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 6, 2025
.@Lions RB @Jahmyr_Gibbs1 has produced his 17th scrimmage TD of the season, tying the single-season franchise record.
— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) January 6, 2025
He joins RB @BarrySanders (1991) as the only players in franchise history to produce a season with 1,700+ scrimmage yards & 17 TDs.#OnePride pic.twitter.com/uGFbhvJaPl
Late in the third quarter, on a fourth down play, Gibbs caught a pass from Jared Goff to provide some breathing room and set the new Lions' single-season franchise record for touchdowns.
Goff to Gibbs on 4th down!
— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2025
Lions extend their lead.
📺: #MINvsDET on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/UKEit2O4hp
.@Lions RB @Jahmyr_Gibbs1 has produced 18 TDs this season, establishing a new single-season franchise record.#OnePride pic.twitter.com/v8gfKa6xDp
— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) January 6, 2025
On the Lions' next drive, Gibbs made it a hat trick for the night and all but put the game away with how well the defense was playing.
It's Jah hat trick 🎩🎩🎩#MINvsDET | 📺 NBC pic.twitter.com/WGCiDpK9Vm
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 6, 2025
That was also Gibbs' 15th rushing touchdown of the season, good for the third-most in Lions' history.
The most rushing TDs in a season in @Lions history:
— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) January 6, 2025
1. 17, Jamaal Williams, 2022
2. 16, @BarrySanders, 1991
3. 15, @Jahmyr_Gibbs1, 2024#OnePride pic.twitter.com/qt5kyKuNW8
To finish his evening, Gibbs scored his third rushing touchdown, and his fourth total touchdown of the game with less than six minutes to go.
JAHMYR GIBBS. 4 TDs TONIGHT. 20th ON THE SEASON.
— NFL (@NFL) January 6, 2025
📺: #MINvsDET on NBC/Peacock
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/9vhlt49d7T
Gibbs' 20 total touchdowns will be the most in the league during the regular season. Not bad for someone the draft "experts" instantly tabbed as a reach, even if NFL teams didn't necessarily agree.