Running back Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions became the 11th rookie to record at least 945 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns with an average of more than 5 yards per carry during the 2023 NFL regular season.
Along with Saquon Barkley, the former Alabama star was one of the few players in the 11 to have at least 52 receptions in their debut campaign.
Gibbs became the eighth rookie in NFL history to record at least 144 running yards and three rushing touchdowns in the postseason following his PFWA All-Rookie team performance. Furthermore, he is the only member of that group with 11 or more receptions.
After trading up to draft the running back at No. 12 in the 2023 NFL Draft, Lions general manager Brad Holmes was questioned about Robbie Gibbs’ rookie performance during his press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Holmes remarked, “My assessment of him was precisely what he accomplished this year.” He does, in my opinion, have a lot of meat on the bone. I believe I’ve said it a million times over: he is an explosive weapon with many varied applications. He’s electric. He is, in my opinion, a game-changer.
According to Holmes, Gibbs changed his approach, which let him have a successful season even though he shared ball-carrying responsibilities with David Montgomery.
Holmes remarked, “I thought this was a real credit to him.” In fact, he realized that he was moving a bit too quickly. And he was, at first. He was almost moving too quickly because he is such a quick and dynamic player, but eventually he caught up.
to the game’s speed and thought, “You know what? I am aware of my speed. I have faith in my quickness. I agree that I’m explosive. I’m not in a hurry, yet I must leave. That’s when his vision, in my opinion, started to improve significantly.
