American Football
Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs leapfrogs Bijan Robinson with record payday
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The going rate for the NFL's highest-paid running back changed twice in one week, and Jahmyr Gibbs had the last word.
The Detroit Lions agreed to a three-year, $67.5 million extension with "Sonic" on Thursday, with $51.5 million fully guaranteed.
The $22.5 million annual figure will make Gibbs the highest-paid running back in NFL history, a title that had belonged to Bijan Robinson for all of two days.
Gibbs tops a running back market gone wild
Robinson received his extension with Atlanta on Tuesday in a deal that could climb as high as $75 million on a $66.75 million base with $51 million guaranteed.
Jonathan Taylor got his too, agreeing to a two-year, $44 million contract with the Colts on the same day Gibbs' deal broke.
But Gibbs edged both by the thinnest of margins, at least where NFL salaries are concerned.
| Rank | Player | Team | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jahmyr Gibbs | Lions | $22,500,000 |
| 2 | Bijan Robinson | Falcons | $22,250,000 |
| 3 | Jonathan Taylor | Colts | $22,000,000 |
| 4 | Saquon Barkley | Eagles | $20,600,000 |
| 5 | Christian McCaffrey | 49ers | $19,000,000 |
| 6 | Devon Achane | Dolphins | $16,000,000 |
| 7 | Derrick Henry | Ravens | $15,000,000 |
| 8 | Breece Hall | Jets | $14,500,000 |
| 9 | Kenneth Walker III | Chiefs | $14,350,000 |
| 10 | Jeremiyah Love | Cardinals | $13,255,704 |
A hold-in that never turned into a standoff
Gibbs had been in training camp the whole time, working through meetings while sitting out practice reps as the two sides negotiated.
Head coach Dan Campbell chalked some of it up to a back issue, but it remained obvious to most that money was a factor.
The 24-year-old finally suited up Thursday morning, working through drills off to the side in a move which signalled a deal could be close.
The production behind Gibbs' price tag
Gibbs has flat-out dominated since entering the league, piling up 3,580 yards on the ground and 1,449 through the air.
He amassed 49 total touchdowns before his 24th birthday, more than anyone in NFL history has managed through their first three seasons, Barry Sanders included.
Last season alone he racked up 18 total scores and 1,839 total yards, with career highs of 77 catches and 616 receiving yards along the way.
The reward for his efforts so far? Three Pro Bowls in three years, and a market-resetting payday.
Life after David Montgomery
Detroit traded Montgomery to Houston back in March, closing the book on a fearsome partnership and thrusting Gibbs into Offensive Player of the Year contention in 2026.
Isiah Pacheco arrives from Kansas City to soak up part of the workload, but he's not expected to assume Montgomery's busy role.
Head coach Dan Campbell made that clear in June, removing what little ambiguity remained about how the Lions intend to use their backfield.
The Saints visit Detroit in Week 1 on September 13. They'd better be ready for a version of Gibbs motivated to prove he deserved his record payday.
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