The Detroit Lions are only weeks away from their 2026 NFL season opener against the visiting New Orleans Saints, and following a 2-1 record in the preseason that was mostly made up of reserve players seeing the field, they’re anxious to get going.
The Lions, who finished 9-8 last season and just missed out on making the NFL playoffs for the first time in three years, are going to be out to prove that it was just a hiccup and that they’re the rightful owners of the top spot in the NFC North Division.
And in order for that to happen, they’ll need their top players to perform exactly like that, and one key NFL Insider believes that one particular key member of the Lions is set to make history this season.
Detroit Lions Running Back Jahmyr Gibbs Predicted To Make NFL History In 2026
According to a bold prediction from CBS Sports NFL Insider Douglas Clawson, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, a three-time Pro Bowler, is in line to make NFL history for the Lions in 2026.
“Jahmyr Gibbs will break Chris Johnson’s NFL record for most scrimmage yards in a season (2,509 in 2009). Dan Campbell said Gibbs will be the “bell cow” in 2026 after Detroit traded David Montgomery (182 touches last year) to the Texans.
Gibbs is already on a historic two-year run as the only RB all-time with 100+ scrimmage yards per game, 1+ scrimmage TD per game on fewer than 20 touches per game in back-to-back years. Imagine what he can do with say 400 touches, instead of the 320 he logged in 2025? He doesn’t even have a 30-touch game in the last two years. Add in an improved Detroit offensive line that added C Cade Mays (even though he’s out 8-10 weeks) and first-round pick RT Blake Miller and you have a recipe for a record-breaking season from perhaps the game’s most electric RB.”
Can Gibbs live up to these lofty preseason expectations?
The Lions Will Need Jahmyr Gibbs At His Best In 2026
Last season, Gibbs appeared in all 17 games for the Lions while accumulating 1,223 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. Additionally, he racked up 616 receiving yards on 77 receptions with five touchdowns.
He became the first player in Lions history, and just the eighth in NFL history, to record at least 1,800 yards from scrimmage and 18 scrimmage touchdowns in consecutive seasons.
According to head coach Dan Campbell, he’s the club’s “bell cow”.
“I mean he is, he’s going to be our bell cow now,” Campbell said. “He really became more of that last year, but we’re going to hang our hat on him quite a bit. We’re going to do a lot of things we feel like he does well.”
Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs Predicted To Make NFL History In 2026