| No. 0 – Detroit Lions | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | running back | ||||||||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (2002-03-20)March 20, 2002 (age 23) Dalton, Georgia, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 199 lb (90 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Dalton | ||||||||||||||
| College |
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| NFL draft | 2023: 1st round, 12th overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 11, 2025 | |||||||||||||||
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Jahmyr “Sonic” Gibbs (/dʒəˈmɪər/jə-MEER; born March 20, 2002), is an American professionalfootballrunning back for theDetroit Lions of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets andAlabama Crimson Tide. Gibbs was selected by the Lions in the first round of the2023 NFL draft, where he was anAll-Rookie Team selection and voted to thePro Bowl. In2024, Gibbs was again selected to the Pro Bowl and set a Detroit franchise record for the most touchdowns scored in a single season (20), which also led the league.[1]
Gibbs grew up inDalton, Georgia, and attendedDalton High School.[2] He rushed for 897 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore, and 1,431 yards and 20 touchdowns in his junior season.[3] As a senior, Gibbs led the state with 2,554 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns and was named first team all-state, the Georgia 6-A 2020 Offensive Player of the Year and a first team All-American bySports Illustrated.[4][5] He was also invited to play in the 2020All-American Bowl.[6] Gibbs finished his high school career with 4,882 rushing yards and 70 touchdowns.[7]
Gibbs was initially rated a three-star recruit and committed to playcollege football for theGeorgia Tech Yellow Jackets at the end of his junior year over offers fromMichigan,Texas A&M, andNorth Carolina.[8][9] Gibbs was re-rated as a four-star prospect during his senior year and was further recruited byFlorida,Georgia andAlabama, but ultimately decided to maintain his commitment to Georgia Tech.[10]
After missing the Yellow Jackets' season opener, Gibbs made his collegiate debut the following week againstUCF and returned the opening kickoff 75 yards. He finished the game with 219 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns and was named theAtlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Freshman of the Week.[11][12] Gibbs scored five total touchdowns in his first three collegiate games, with one receiving touchdown made in each game. He finished his freshman season with 89 carries for 460 yards and four rushing touchdowns, 24 receptions for 303 yards and three receiving touchdowns, and eight kickoff returns for 205 yards. Gibbs was also named honorable mention All-ACC as a return specialist.[13]
In 2022, Gibbs transferred to theUniversity of Alabama to play for theCrimson Tide.[14] On October 1, in a victory over #20Arkansas, he had 18 carries for 206 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.[15] In the following game, Gibbs had 21 carries for 154 rushing yards in a victory overTexas A&M.[16] In the team's seventh game, a 49–52 loss to #6Tennessee on the road, he had 24 carries for 103 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.[17] Gibbs finished the 2022 season with 151 carries for 926 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, as well as 44 receptions for 444 receiving yards and three touchdowns through the air.[18]
| Season | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Returning | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Ret | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | |||||||||||||||
| 2020 | 7 | 7 | 89 | 460 | 5.2 | 4 | 24 | 303 | 12.6 | 3 | 8 | 205 | 25.6 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 12 | 12 | 143 | 746 | 5.2 | 4 | 35 | 465 | 13.3 | 2 | 23 | 589 | 25.6 | 1 | |
| Alabama Crimson Tide | |||||||||||||||
| 2022 | 12 | 12 | 151 | 926 | 6.1 | 7 | 44 | 444 | 10.1 | 3 | 13 | 258 | 23.9 | 0 | |
| Career | 31 | 31 | 383 | 2,132 | 5.6 | 15 | 103 | 1,212 | 11.8 | 8 | 44 | 1,052 | 23.9 | 1 | |
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | Vertical jump | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft9+1⁄8 in (1.76 m) | 199 lb (90 kg) | 30+1⁄2 in (0.77 m) | 9+1⁄4 in (0.23 m) | 4.36 s | 1.52 s | 2.52 s | 33.5 in (0.85 m) | |||||
| All values from theNFL Combine[19][20] | ||||||||||||
Gibbs was selected in the first round, 12th overall, by theDetroit Lions in the2023 NFL draft.[21][22]
In Gibbs' rookie season, he teamed up with fellow running backDavid Montgomery to create the tandem described as a "two-headed monster" by Lions head coachDan Campbell. The duo was given the nicknames "Sonic" and "Knuckles", nicknamed after the characters from theSonic the Hedgehog video game series. Gibbs, aka "Sonic" because of his speed, and Montgomery, tabbed as "Knuckles" for his strength.[23]
Gibbs made his NFL debut in the 2023NFL Kickoff Game, where he made 7 rushes for 42 yards and 2 receptions for 18 more as the Lions defeated theKansas City Chiefs 21–20.[24] In Week 7, he scored his first career touchdown on a 21-yard run in a 38–6 loss to theBaltimore Ravens.[25] The following week against theLas Vegas Raiders onMonday Night Football, he made 26 rushes for a season-high 152 yards and a touchdown, as well as five receptions for 37 yards, as the Lions won 26–14.[26] In Week 10 against theLos Angeles Chargers, following the bye week, Gibbs recorded his first multi-touchdown game as he took 14 carries for 77 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, accompanied by three receptions for 35 yards in the air, in the 41–38 win.[27] In Week 15 against theDenver Broncos, he had 11 carries for 100 yards with one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown (his only of the season) in the 42–17 win.[28]
He finished his rookie season with 182 carries for 945 yards and ten rushing touchdowns to go with 52 receptions for 316 yards and one receiving touchdown in 15 games and three starts.[29] He was selected as a Pro Bowl Alternate for the2023 Pro Bowl,[30] and was named to the2023 PFWA All-Rookie Team.[31] He scored a rushing touchdown in all three of the Lions' postseason games.[32][33][34]
In Week 7 of the 2024 season against theMinnesota Vikings, Gibbs had 160 total yards and two rushing touchdowns in the narrow 31–29 win.[35] In the following game against theTennessee Titans, he had 11 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown in the 52–14 win.[36] In Week 11 against theJacksonville Jaguars, he had 123 yards from scrimmage and a rushing touchdown in the 52–6 victory.[37] In Week 15 against theBuffalo Bills, he had 114 total yards, one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown (his third of the season) in the 42–48 loss.[38] The following week against theChicago Bears, in his second start of the season, he had 109 rushing yards and a touchdown in the 34–17 win.[39] In Week 17 against theSan Francisco 49ers, he had 117 rushing yards and a touchdown in the 40–34 win.[40] In the final game of the regular season against the (14–2) Vikings at home for the NFC North division title and the NFC No. 1 seed, Gibbs made 23 rushes for a season-high 139 yards and scored four touchdowns (three rushing and one receiving) in the 31–9 victory, leading the league with 20 total touchdowns scored.[41] He earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance,[42] and was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for December.[43] His 20 total touchdowns also set a franchise record for the most in a single season, passing a tied record previously set byJamaal Williams (17 in 2022) andBarry Sanders (17 in 1991).[44][45] For the season, he tied withDerrick Henry andJames Cook (each with 16) as theNFL rushing touchdowns leader.[46] He finished the season with 250 carries for 1,412 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns, to go with 52 receptions for 517 yards and four receiving touchdowns.[47] He earned Pro Bowl honors for the 2024 season.[48]
In theDivisional Round against theWashington Commanders, Gibbs had 175 total yards and two rushing touchdowns in the 31–45 loss.[49]
In the off-season, Gibbs changed his number from 26 to 0. He stated in an interview that he "hated 26" out of those being offered by Detroit after he was drafted; the others being 33, 35 and 40.[50]
Gibbs had a relatively slow start to the 2025 season. In the season opener against theGreen Bay Packers, he made 9 rushes for 19 yards, and 10 receptions for 31 yards, with no touchdowns in a 13–27 loss.[51] However, he quickly bounced back in Week 2 against the Chicago Bears, where he had 104 scrimmage yards with a rushing touchdown in the 52–21 win. The following week against the Baltimore Ravens, he had 99 total yards with two rushing touchdowns in the 38–30 road win. In Week 7 against theBuccaneers, Gibbs rushed for 136 yards on 17 carries and added 82 receiving yards on three catches in a win over Tampa Bay.[52] In Week 10, Gibbs recorded 172 scrimmage yards and three total touchdowns in a 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week.[53]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2023 | DET | 15 | 3 | 182 | 945 | 5.2 | 36 | 10 | 52 | 316 | 6.1 | 24 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2024 | DET | 17 | 4 | 250 | 1,412 | 5.6 | 70 | 16 | 52 | 517 | 9.9 | 54 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | DET | 10 | 10 | 140 | 732 | 5.2 | 78 | 8 | 37 | 334 | 9.0 | 42 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 42 | 17 | 572 | 3,089 | 5.4 | 78 | 34 | 141 | 1,167 | 8.3 | 54 | 7 | 3 | 2 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Rushing | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2023 | DET | 3 | 0 | 29 | 144 | 5.0 | 31 | 3 | 11 | 94 | 8.5 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2024 | DET | 1 | 0 | 14 | 105 | 7.5 | 33 | 2 | 6 | 70 | 11.7 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 4 | 0 | 43 | 249 | 5.8 | 33 | 5 | 17 | 164 | 9.6 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |