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David Montgomery injury update: Dan Campbell gives 'optimistic' news on Lions RB

On3 imageby: Sam Gillenwater12/20/24samdg_33
Lions RB David Montgomery
David Reginek | Imagn Images

After being feared to have been lost for the season this week, David Montgomery might actually be able to make a return for the Detroit Lions.

On Friday, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network shared a positive update on Montgomery’s status from Dan Campbell.

“Optimistic with a couple of doctors that he saw, the last two. I think we may see where this thing goes,” Campbell noted. “It certainly sounds more optimistic.”

Montgomery suffered a knee injury to his MCL in a 48-42 loss to Buffalo last weekend. Reports suggested he was out indefinitely with him potentially missing the remainder of the year, especially if he were to have to have surgery, with only three games left before the start of the playoffs. However, following additional testing and second opinions, that diagnosis may not be as bad as it once was earlier this week.

Montgomery has been half of one of the top backfields in the league in he and Jahmyr Gibbs for the Lions. He has had 185 carries for Detroit for 775 yards and 12 touchdowns during his second season with the franchise and sixth in total in the NFL. The rushing scores were already one shy of tying a career-best for him while the carries were on pace to potentially be if he had finished against the Bills or been more likely to be available to end the regular season.

This could make a huge difference for Detroit in their hopes of advancing in the postseason. The Lions are currently at 12-2 overall with them being in a three-way tie for the No. 1 seed in the NFC with the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings. They could certainly still be the top seed in the conference and the division but, with Montgomery’s injury on top of ones to other key pieces now on injured reserve, they’re in a worse position than they were in with the playoffs now being less than a month out.

Montgomery is still likely to miss a few more games in his recovery. Still, getting him back at all would mean a lot to how this season ends for Detroit.