Thursday night in Detroit felt like a statement more than just another win. The Lions throttled the Cowboys 44-30 to move to 8-5, and Jahmyr Gibbs was at the center of everything.
The second-year back punched in three rushing touchdowns, becoming the first Lions player since Cloyce Box in 1952 to have three separate games with three or more scores.
He finished with 43 rushing yards on 12 carries, plus 77 receiving yards on seven catches, once again looking like the most dynamic weapon on the field.
That kind of production is exactly why ESPN is already framing Gibbs as the next mega-extension on Detroit’s books. The Lions are closing in on $1 billion committed to their core, and four more homegrown stars are soon eligible for new deals: Gibbs, linebacker Jack Campbell, safety Brian Branch, and tight end Sam LaPorta.
Branch and LaPorta are both out for the year, which could push their negotiations back while the team waits to see how they return from a torn Achilles and back surgery, respectively. That reality, per ESPN, leaves more immediate flexibility to take care of Gibbs.
The expectation in league circles is that Detroit will try to make him the highest-paid running back in football in the near future.
Coaches have steadily expanded their role in the passing game, feeding him 31 targets over the last month alone, and Dan Campbell summed up the organization’s belief after the win over Dallas: “He’s just getting started.” The sense is the Lions will push hard to lock Gibbs in, explore the right number for Campbell, and take a longer view with Branch and LaPorta.
Gibbs’ production is already brushing up against franchise legend territory. His three-score outburst against Dallas pushed him to 47 career touchdowns before his 24th birthday, tying Barry Sanders for the most by any Lion before turning 24.
With his birthday not arriving until March, it would be a shock if he doesn’t move past Sanders soon.
Detroit’s front office now faces an expensive but welcome problem. If Gibbs keeps stacking historic nights while the Lions chase another postseason berth, the “rumor” of a record-setting deal may start to look more like a deadline.
