After the Detroit Lions broke up the “Sonic and Knuckles” franchise, the club is transitioning to a one-star show.
The Lions signed slugger David Montgomery this offseason and planned to have speedster Jahmyr Gibbs play the lead role.
“He’s going to be our bell cow now,” coach Dan Campbell said Thursday, via MLive . “We’re going to hang our hat on him quite a bit. We’re going to do a lot of things that we think he does well. I’ve mentioned this before, he can control everything we have.
During his first three seasons, Gibbs dispelled the idea that he was only a speed advantage, Sonic running around the edge to gobble up coins. The back is a nightmare inside and out, taking the hit between the tackles while boasting the speed to beat defenses to the edge. His dual-threat abilities and the fear of his home run ability on defense make him difficult to take off the field.
Gibbs posted 3,580 rushing yards and 39 touchdowns in 675 carries over his first three seasons, including 1,200-plus yard campaigns.
The Lions began the transition last year, pulling prospect Montgomery in favor of Gibbs. The matchup struggles of 2025 compared to 2024 were more due to offensive issues than the distribution of quarterback duties. With Detroit poised to put more on Gibbs’ shoulders, Montgomery requested and was traded to Houston, where he can get more touches.