Nick Saban raves about Jahmyr Gibbs after Thursday Night Football performance vs. Cowboys

In a game they desperately needed to win, the Detroit Lions put up 408 total yards to hold off the Dallas Cowboys 44-30 Thursday night in the Motor City. With just four games remaining on their schedule, Detroit now sits at 8-5 on the season. They are currently the first team OUT of the NFC Playoffs.

Superstar running back Jahmyr Gibbs was unbelievable in the win, finding the end zone on three separate occasions. He totaled 43 yards on 12 carries on the ground and also hauled in seven receptions for 77 yards.

During an appearance on Friday’s edition of ‘The Pat McAfee Show,’ College Football Hall of Famer Nick Saban raved about Gibbs. The running back played at Alabama under Saban in his second-to-last season as the head coach of the Crimson Tide in 2022.

“I was surprised that when we looked at Jahmyr Gibbs when he was Georgia Tech, I saw this guy that had this great ability to make you miss,” Saban said. “Probably one of the most important facets of being a great running back is to make a cut and then hit full speed. How fast can you get to full speed out of a lateral cut? This guy can do it as well as anybody. I know they compare him to Barry Sanders, and he made a lot of guys miss. I played against him, and he made a lot of our guys miss.”

Nick Saban applauds Dan Campbell for using Jahmyr Gibbs ‘the right way’

“That’s what Jahmyr Gibbs can do. He’s tough, he’s a great person, he’s a great receiver, and he can just do it all. He’s making people miss; he runs behind his pads even though he’s not a great big guy. But he’s hard to tackle and he’s got great acceleration and burst and speed out of a cut, which makes him unique in terms of his skill set and what he can do as a complete player in this offense. And you’ve got to give the Lions credit, because they use the guy the right way. They get him the ball the right way.”

Gibbs’ collegiate career began at Georgia Tech before he transferred to Tuscaloosa prior to the 2022 season. There, he was a key contributor for an Alabama team that finished with an 11-2 record. He totaled 926 yards and seven touchdowns on 151 carries, and also hauled in 44 receptions for 444 yards and three scores. This strong season set Gibbs up to be selected with the No. 12 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.

While many were skeptical about drafting a running back that high, the selection has paid off handsomely for Detroit. Following Thursday night’s win, Gibbs is now tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders for the most total touchdowns before turning 24 in NFL history (47). Gibbs doesn’t turn 24 until after the season, meaning one more score would give him the record.

With the two-headed monster of Gibbs and David Montgomery in the backfield, the Lions are set up nicely to finish the season strong. They could earn a trip to the postseason for the third consecutive season.