At halftime of the Detroit Lions’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs went to the locker room with six carries a piece. Montgomery had turned his touches into 31 yards, a respectable 5.2 yards per carry. Gibbs had only produced 19 rushing yards, 3.2 YPC.
For the rest of the game, Montgomery only had a single carry—a 1-yard touchdown run on a direct snap. Gibbs carried it another seven times, gaining 19 yards for an even less efficient 2.7 yards per carry.
While game situation—Detroit falling behind two possessions in a hurry—likely dictated more Gibbs in the second half, this game was a microcosm of how the Gibbs and Montgomery dynamic has shifted in 2025. Compared to last year, Montgomery is averaging 3.5 fewer rushing attempts, 10.0 fewer rushing yards, and even 1.1 fewer receptions per game. While Montgomery typically started games in 2024, Gibbs has been the first back out there in all 14 contests this season.
On Wednesday, Lions coach Dan Campbell addressed the decreased role for Montgomery, first praising the veteran back’s professionalism during what is likely a frustrating time for him.
“David is a pro. David’s a pro. He goes about his business, he handles it,” Campbell said. “I know that’s not easy. That’s not easy. You’re a guy who–he’s a damn good back. Every good player wants their chance to help the team win and get some production, so I know it can’t be easy. I know it’s not easy, but he’s a pro. He handles his business and goes about it, and whenever you call his number, he’s ready to go.”
Campbell also admitted the offense operates better when Montgomery is part of the mix, and he’s been brainstorming ways to get him more production.
“It’s something I think about a lot, is how do we get them all involved? He’s one of those, when they’re all involved, we’re just better. We’re a better offense,” Campbell said.
The tricky part is finding opportunities to get the ball in Montgomery’s hands. One way they’ve already explored is increasing the usage of two running back sets in the wake of several tight end injuries. But Campbell sounded open to getting Montgomery more involved in a different way. Typically the Lions have operated by featuring one back per each series. On Wednesday, Campbell publicly toyed with the idea of working Montgomery into the game during a drive primarily featuring Gibbs.
“It’s one of thing to bring him (Montgomery) in, but maybe before that, do we start tagging some things for him to get him involved early in Jah’s series, and get Jah a breather,” Campbell said.
Whether the Lions opt to lean more on Montgomery during the team’s final three-game stretch or not, it’s clear No. 5 remains on Campbell’s mind.
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