Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs sets single-season franchise touchdown record

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.

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.

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.

That was also Gibbs' 15th rushing touchdown of the season, good for the third-most in Lions' history.

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.

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.