Sunday’s Week 1 game against the New Orleans Saints felt a little different for Jahmyr Gibbs. He was not just taking the gridiron as one of the Detroit Lions‘ biggest stars but also as the highest-paid running back in the NFL, getting the first real opportunity to back up his massive payday.
Carrying a lot of expectations, the three-time Pro Bowler delivered at Ford Field, becoming a nightmare for the Saints’ defenders, rushing through the game and scoring two crucial touchdowns, including the opening points for the franchise.
According to PFF, Jahmyr recorded the most rushing attempts of any running back in Week 1. The Lions superstar had a total of 29 rushing attempts, which was more than the Ravens’ Derrick Henry (24), Raiders‘ Ashton Jeanty (23), Jets’ Breece Hall (22), and Falcons’ (21).
Jahmyr Gibbs 29 Derrick Henry 24 Ashton Jeanty 23 Breece Hall 22 Bijan Robinson 21
At the end of Week 1, Gibbs could wrap up the first week with the most rushing attempts unless Chiefs RB and reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker surpasses that number when he plays the Broncos on Monday.
Beyond leading the league in Week 1 rushing attempts, Jahmyr Gibbs dominates the other running back categories, showing why he is the league’s top-paid RB.
Jahmyr Gibbs’ Explosive Start Sets The Tone For His 2026 Campaign
While the season opener at Ford Field ended 31-30 after going to overtime, the Lions dominated the early part of the game, with Gibbs leading the offense. The 24-year-old scored the first touchdown for the Lions before Amon-Ra St. Brown made the score 21-0.
With 29 rushing attempts, he logged 156 rushing yards. He also finished the game with the most rushing yards among all running backs in Week 1. Ravens’ Derrick Henry rushed for 144 yards yesterday, but he scored one more TD than Gibbs. In addition, Bears’ D’Andre Swift landed in third place after racking up 124 rushing yards.
Despite the strong numbers, Gibbs ranked 8th among all running backs in the NFL with a 75.2 overall PFF grade, and he ranked 6th in rushing with a 77.9 PFF grade. The season is still young, but he is off to a flying start in the season opener. The 2024 season remains his career-best, with 1,412 rushing yards, and he will be aiming to surpass that number this season, further solidifying his elite status.
Besides his impressive stats in Week 1, Gibbs set a new NFL record yesterday after scoring two touchdowns.
Jahmyr Gibbs Joins Elite List After Reaching New Career Landmark
The end zone has now become a familiar spot for Jahmyr Gibbs after he reached a major new career milestone on Sunday. His first touchdown in the game was his 50th career touchdown. Later in the game, he added another one to reach 51.
50 TD in First 50 games ✔️Jahmyr Gibbs ✔️Jim Brown ✔️Marcus Allen ✔️Chuck Foreman ✔️Steve Van Buren ✔️Larry Johnson
Gibbs has now reached the major landmark, becoming only the sixth player in NFL history to reach at least 50 scrimmage touchdowns within his first 50 career games. In his young NFL career, he has now joined the elite list of Chuck Foreman (44 games), Steve Van Buren (45 games), Jim Brown (46 games), Larry Johnson (48 games), and Marcus Allen (49 games).
Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs Leads NFL RBs in One Key Week 1 Stat