Jahmyr Gibbs signed a three-year extension with the Detroit Lions on Thursday that makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, surpassing the record Bijan Robinson set with the Atlanta Falcons earlier the same week.
The 24-year-old agreed to a deal worth $67.5 million that can reach up to $75.75 million with incentives and includes $51.5 million guaranteed. The average annual value of $22.5 million edges out Robinson’s $22.25 million, the previous record, and also surpasses the $22 million extension the Indianapolis Colts gave Jonathan Taylor and the $20.6 million Saquon Barkley received from the Philadelphia Eagles.
He was selected 12th overall by Detroit in 2023 and has developed into one of the most statistically productive players in the league over his first three seasons.
What makes Gibbs historically significant
Despite sharing carries with David Montgomery throughout his first three years, Gibbs has scored 49 career touchdowns, the most by any player in NFL history through the first three seasons of a career, surpassing the mark of 47 set by Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, who spent his career in Detroit. He also has 3,580 rushing yards through three seasons, the 22nd most for any player in that span since the league began tracking yardage statistics in 1932, and he is one of 19 players in league history to accumulate at least 3,500 rushing yards and 600 receiving yards in the first three years of a career.
Last season, Gibbs finished fifth in the league with 1,839 yards from scrimmage, splitting 1,223 rushing yards and 616 receiving yards, and ranked second in total touchdowns with 18. His 77 receptions, 616 receiving yards and five touchdown catches were all career highs. He has been named to the Pro Bowl in all three of his professional seasons.
The Lions’ situation heading into 2026
His workload is expected to increase this season after Detroit traded Montgomery to the Houston Texans in March. Montgomery averaged 187 carries and 835 rushing yards over his three seasons with the Lions and provided the team with a reliable change-of-pace option that reduced wear on the starter. That role will now be filled primarily by Isiah Pacheco, a former Kansas City Chiefs running back whom the Lions signed as his replacement.
Detroit finished 9-8 last season and missed the playoffs, prompting the team to hire Drew Petzing as its new offensive coordinator. Petzing arrives from the Arizona Cardinals, where he served as offensive coordinator for three seasons. Improving the run game is among his primary challenges, and the former Cardinal’s primary challenge centers on him.
What Gibbs says about his own ceiling
Despite his historic numbers, he said in January that he does not believe he has played his best football yet, pointing to specific moments during the season where he felt he could have made more of an impact. That self-assessment from a player who has already produced at a historically elite level through three seasons suggests the Lions are betting on continued growth rather than simply paying for what he has already done.
The market for elite running backs
The Gibbs deal is the second record extension for a running back in the same week, following Robinson’s contract on Tuesday. Together, they represent a notable moment in how NFL teams are valuing top running backs after several years in which the position faced pressure to accept below-market deals due to arguments about durability and replaceability.
Taylor, Robinson, Barkley, Christian McCaffrey and Gibbs have all signed extensions at $19 million or more per season over the past two years, signaling that the most productive running backs in the league are reclaiming top-of-market contracts.
For Gibbs, Thursday’s signing removes any uncertainty about his future in Detroit and locks him in as the centerpiece of the offense through 2028.
