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The Detroit Lions have agreed with star running back Jahmyr Gibbs on a three-year, $67.5 million contract extension, according to his agent, Todd France. Gibbs becomes the highest-paid running back in NFL history at $22.5 million per year and will be under contract through 2030.
On Tuesday, Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson claimed that title when he agreed to a three-year, $66.75 million extension (up to $75 million with incentives), or $22.25 million per year, with $51.1 million in guaranteed money. With Robinson’s deal in place, and Colts running back Jonathan Taylor finalizing his deal Thursday morning, it felt like a matter of time before Gibbs and the Lions came to terms.
Gibbs, who was already under contract through 2027, had been holding in, present at Detroit’s training camp as a spectator. On Thursday, he was in uniform at practice for the first time, but was limited. As he walked into the facility, Gibbs offered a thumbs up when asked if a deal was close to being done. The Lions have their star RB back.
“Look, I’m anxious to get Gibbs back out there,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday. “Every day that goes by, that’s another day that you feel like you miss with him and getting him out there with the guys and him doing his part. But there again, man, it’ll get done when it gets done.”
The deal is now done, and it was always a matter of when — not if. The Lions were questioned when they selected Gibbs 12th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. They went against the grain to use premium draft capital on a running back and haven’t thought twice about it. It was the sort of investment that needed to see immediate returns, considering the strength of Detroit’s offensive line and the cost to acquire Gibbs. All he’s done since entering the league is validate the selection.
He’s one of the most explosive players in the league, able to go the distance any time he touches the ball. Since Gibbs’ rookie year, he ranks first in scrimmage touchdowns (49), tied for second in explosive plays (97) and third in scrimmage yards (5,029). Those 49 regular-season touchdowns are the most in a player’s first three seasons in NFL history, en route to three consecutive Pro Bowls.
Just 24, Gibbs is in the prime of his career and set to become the unquestioned workhorse back this year, with David Montgomery traded to the Houston Texans this offseason.
The Lions have made their intentions with Gibbs clear from the very beginning, viewing him as a long-term piece with room to grow. They’ve budgeted for a contract like this, knowing they’d have to allocate the funds to keep another of their homegrown talents in Detroit. They loved Gibbs enough to draft him 12th overall, and love him enough to make him the highest-paid RB in league history. It took some time, but this was always going to be the end result.
“We didn’t view Gibbs as a runner,” Campbell said at the NFL league meetings in March, recalling the conversations about Gibbs leading up to the 2023 draft. “He was a weapon. … A lot of versatility, things you can do. … We felt like Gibbs, man, this guy is going to explode. Like, yes, he’s a runner. He can run all schemes. He can run inside, outside, pin and pull, the perimeters. But he’s also — he can be lethal out of the backfield, and we’re not even there yet. We feel like this guy can play some receiver. We tried to tinker with some stuff last year. He really grew, but I think we’re just scratching the surface of some of that.
“He’s a mismatch piece, man. He’s dynamic and he’s a difference maker. They don’t come around often.”
This is good timing for both the Lions and Gibbs. The Lions have a new offensive coordinator, Drew Petzing, running the show. He’s been without his top weapon for the first week or so of training camp, making it difficult to evaluate where the offense is truly at right now. While Gibbs can afford to miss time, especially as he deals with a minor back issue, you’d like to have him available so Petzing can see the offense in its entirety. Detroit’s new-look offensive line also needs time to gel with Gibbs running behind them.
For Gibbs, waiting out both Robinson and Taylor allowed him to claim the title of NFL’s highest-paid running back — one he could keep for a bit. Gibbs’ new deal will keep him in Detroit through the 2030 season, and while it’s a hefty price to pay, the Lions believe Gibbs has earned it.
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