Jahmyr Gibbs stands one touchdown away from NFL history as Lions open 2026

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs will step onto the field at Ford Field on Sunday with a place in the record books within reach. A single touchdown against the Saints in the season opener would make Gibbs just the sixth player in league history to record 50 scrimmage touchdowns within his first 50 regular-season games.

Per NBC Sports research, the exclusive club currently counts only Jim Brown, Marcus Allen, Chuck Foreman, Larry Johnson, and Steve Van Buren among its members — a list of Hall of Fame-caliber names spanning multiple eras of professional football.

Gibbs enters the 2026 campaign having already compiled 49 touchdowns through three seasons, the most by any player over his first three years in the NFL. Notably, he has reached that total while splitting carries for much of his tenure with fellow running back David Montgomery. This season marks his first as the clear lead back in Detroit’s offense.

The third-year back signed a second contract this offseason averaging $22.5 million per year, a figure that looks increasingly modest relative to his production if his early-career pace continues. For comparison’s sake, top running backs across the league have seen their market values fluctuate considerably in recent seasons, making Gibbs’s deal one of the more closely watched contracts at the position.

Sunday’s kickoff falls in the early afternoon window, but Gibbs will not wait long for a marquee spotlight. In five days, the Lions travel to Buffalo to face the Bills at that city’s new stadium, where the surface will feature newly installed grass — and where Gibbs is expected to make his first national-television appearance as Detroit’s undisputed top tailback.

The Lions’ opener carries broader interest for the sports-media business as well. Week 1 coverage across broadcast and streaming platforms drives significant early-season audiences for league media partners, including Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA), whose NBC unit produces Sunday Night Football. Shares of Comcast were trading at $25.20 in recent activity, up 0.6% from the prior close of $25.05, valuing the telecommunications and media company at roughly $92.5 billion.

What to watch

• Whether Gibbs reaches the 50-touchdown milestone against the Saints on Sunday at Ford Field.
• How Detroit allocates carries between Gibbs and Montgomery with Gibbs now the featured back.
• The Week 2 matchup in Buffalo, played on the new stadium’s freshly installed grass surface.
• Early-season viewership figures across NFL broadcast and streaming partners as the 2026 slate begins.

Source: original release