David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs proved to be a productive backfield duo for the Detroit Lions last season, as they both topped 1,100 yards from scrimmage and scored double-digit touchdowns. Gibbs fell 55 yards of making them the seventh pair of 1,000-yard rushers on the same team in the same season in NFL history.
The two games Gibbs missed last year is ultimately all that kept that feat from happening.
The Lions have the sixth-ranked rushing attack in the league this season heading into Week 6. Montgomery and Gibbs are both top-20 in the league in rushing, and they've combined for seven rushing touchdowns. They're well on track for another big season.
Montgomery and Gibbs embrace sharing the workload in the Lions' back field, and they push each other to succeed. There's also a friendly, healthy competition in play, as they try to outdo each other.
David Montgomery reveals new nickname for Lions' running back duo
An easy nickname for Montgomery and Gibbs is "Thunder and Lighting", of course representing power (Montgomery) and speed (Gibbs).
Montgomery appeared on CBS Sports HQ Wednesday, with former Bears' teammate Kyle Long. Long asked Montgomery to talk about the dynamic between he and Gibbs, with the reveal of a new nickname for the pair.
"We got a new name going around, Sonic and Knuckles, and I happen to be Knuckles," Montgomery said. "I like that one."
The nicknames are of course a reference to the video game character Sonic the Hedgehog, who has supersonic speed, and Knuckles, Sonic's rival-turned-friend who's calling card is brute strength. Gibbs as Sonic and Montgomery as Knuckles fits what the core of what they bring to the table as runners.
Montgomery has already won two "Angry Runs" scepters this year, after all.
So nice that he did it twice@MontgomerDavid @gmfb pic.twitter.com/kszZ15JQJu
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 8, 2024
"We got a new [nickname] going around ... it's Sonic and Knuckles"
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 10, 2024
David Montgomery reveals the latest nickname for himself and Jahmyr Gibbs 🔥
🎤: @Ky1eLong pic.twitter.com/vPPtmJKi0K
But as Montgomery noted in the above clip of his conversation with Long, he's shiftier than many think and Gibbs is "strong too." We saw what each can do in the lead back role when the other was out last year, but the Lions are obviously fortunate to have both as key components of one of the league's best offenses.
