Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs surpasses Barry Sanders for most NFL touchdowns scored before age 25
Gibbs could put that record far out of reach, not turning 25 until next March with 12 games remaining this season.
In a thrilling Week 5 matchup, Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions surpassed legendary Barry Sanders for the most touchdowns scored before age 25 in NFL history. At just 24 years old, Gibbs had already amassed 56 touchdowns, one shy of Sanders' impressive total. With 13 games remaining on the Lions' 2026-27 schedule, the star running back had ample time to outpace the Lions legend.
Gibbs secured his place in the record books with two touchdowns in the 45-21 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. His first score came on a 1-yard run during a 7-play, 54-yard drive that tied the game at 7-7 after a series of punts. In the fourth quarter, Gibbs showcased his agility and determination, changing direction and breaking through the Cardinals' defense for a 3-yard touchdown run.
This play highlighted the challenges the Cardinals faced in containing Gibbs throughout the game. Gibbs' impressive performance was not limited to his touchdown tally, as he also contributed 151 rushing yards on 25 carries and added 56 receiving yards on five catches. Over the course of his 2023 NFL Draft season, Gibbs has recorded a remarkable 46 rushing touchdowns and 12 receiving scores, totaling over 200 yards from scrimmage against a struggling Arizona defense.
With 4,044 rushing yards and 581 receiving yards, the young running back has solidified his status as a dual-threat back that the Lions envisioned when they selected him No. 12 overall in the 2023 draft. Gibbs currently ranks second in the NFL with 504 rushing yards and is tied for the league lead with 7 touchdowns. Despite initial skepticism about the value of running backs in the modern NFL and the team's decision to draft Gibbs over their established free-agent running back, David Montgomery, the Lions have proven their foresight.
As the season progresses, it remains to be seen how much distance Gibbs will put between himself and Sanders, as well as other NFL greats like Randy Moss, Emmitt Smith, and Jim Brown. If he continues to follow his career averages of 14 rushing touchdowns and 4 receiving scores per season, Gibbs may well surpass the record set by the Hall of Famer.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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