Jahmyr Gibbs Becomes NFL's Highest-Paid RB After 1,839-Yard Season

Jahmyr Gibbs signed a record-setting contract extension with the Detroit Lions following a 2025 campaign featuring 18 touchdowns.

Jahmyr Gibbs has officially become the highest-paid running back in the NFL after signing a record-setting contract extension with the Detroit Lions. The 24-year-old enters the 2026 season coming off a 2025 campaign where he amassed 1,839 scrimmage yards, the fifth-highest total in the league, and scored 18 touchdowns, ranking second overall. This historic deal follows a three-year stretch where Gibbs earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections and recorded 3,580 rushing yards, which stands as the 22nd most for any player in their first three seasons since 1932.

The Jahmyr Gibbs extension was finalized shortly after the Atlanta Falcons reached a three-year agreement with Bijan Robinson that included $51 million in guarantees. Gibbs has established himself as a premier scoring threat, tallying 49 total touchdowns across his first three professional seasons, the highest mark in league history for that timeframe. During the last two years alone, his 38 touchdowns are four more than any other NFL player. Despite these accolades, the Lions finished the previous season with a 9-8 record and missed the postseason, prompting Gibbs to tell ESPN that he could have done more to pull the team out of difficult situations.

Impact of the David Montgomery Trade

Detroit’s offensive structure will shift significantly in 2026 under first-year offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. The team traded veteran backfield partner David Montgomery to the Houston Texans this offseason, clearing the way for Gibbs to handle the bulk of the carries. While Gibbs has recorded at least 300 touches in each of the past two seasons, he has never exceeded 250 carries in a single year, a workload management strategy that has limited his high-impact contact between the tackles. Mike Clay’s 2026 projections for Gibbs include 283 carries for 1,374 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns, alongside 68 receptions for 547 yards and three additional scores through the air.

Analytics from the 2025 season highlight Gibbs' efficiency, as he recorded 168 rushing yards over expected and 126 receiving yards over expected according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Although these figures trailed Bijan Robinson’s 249 rushing and 201 receiving yards over expected, Gibbs remains a top-tier fantasy asset, having finished as a top-three back in each of the last two years. His collegiate profile also suggests longevity, as he entered the NFL at age 21 with fewer than 500 total touches during his amateur career. This new contract secures his services through his age-28 season.

Financial Strategy and Future Lions Extensions

General manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell prioritized this deal to end a hold-in situation that saw Gibbs miss six consecutive training camp practices. The organization avoided major free-agent spending this offseason to account for the financial constraints of upcoming deals. With the running back position secured, the Lions are now looking toward future extensions for tight end Sam LaPorta and defensive back Brian Branch. The team intends to utilize a draft-and-develop philosophy to keep its Super Bowl window open.

Seth Walder notes that while this is top-of-the-market money for the current era, it remains lower than historical peaks when adjusted for the salary cap. For comparison, the deals signed by Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch in 2015 would be worth approximately $29.4 million and $25.2 million per year, respectively, in the 2026 cap environment. Gibbs has consistently ranked in the top 10 for yards per carry, targets, and receptions since entering the league, and he is currently an early betting favorite for the 2026 Offensive Player of the Year award.