Speculation surfaced recently that the Detroit Lions would trade David Montgomery as his co-star on the roster, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, had emerged as the team’s top option.
While Montgomery seemingly denied the rumors on social media soon after they popped up, he was traded less than 24 hours later. On Monday, news broke that the Lions were sending Montgomery to the Houston Texans for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a 2026 fourth-round pick, and a 2027 seventh-round pick, ending Montgomery’s time in Detroit.
While it provides a fresh start for him with a new team, it also means emotional farewells for him and his Lions teammates, including Gibbs. He shared his reaction to the major trade that split up the popular duo that helped the Lions contend in the NFC.
Following news of the Montgomery trade, Gibbs took to his Instagram Story and posted a simple yet emotional update.
He uploaded a picture of the popular video game characters Sonic the Hedgehog and Knuckles, with their backs turned and walking in opposite directions.
A tear on each of their faces drove home the emotional aspect of the image, while Gibbs added a broken-heart emoji over the IG Story slide.
The image carried significance because the running back duo of Gibbs and Montgomery took on the nickname “Sonic and Knuckles,” based on the speedy video game characters.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero shared a screenshot of Gibbs’ emotional IG Story update on his X account.
Fans reacted to Pelissero’s X share, with some expressing sorrow over the duo being split apart and others suggesting Gibbs should move on, as he’s now the official top option at running back in Detroit.
“Hate when good things come to an end…,” one individual commented.
Another said, “So he's sad that he's strictly RB1 now with more playing time. Ok. Got it.”
Although he achieved another 1,000-yard rushing season when he first came to Detroit in 2023, Montgomery’s numbers diminished in the past two seasons. This past season, Montgomery was involved in the offense but had his first season with zero career starts for a team.
Detroit also struggled in a much more competitive NFC, which saw the emergence of NFC North rivals, the Chicago Bears, as a playoff team.
While Gibbs officially becomes RB1, Montgomery will now join a Houston Texans team that looked like a contender in the AFC. They feature a fierce defense and quarterback CJ Stroud, with Montgomery adding to their ground game.
It’s expected that Montgomery will be a starter for his new team, and there’s always the possibility that this will be the situation he needs to unleash better performances on the field.
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