The Jahmyr Gibbs buzz is growing after landing three touchdowns on Sunday’s game against the Giants, and his momentum could soon help him make Lions history.
At 23 and heading into the final stretch of the regular season, Gibbs has already logged 44 career touchdowns.
If he scores three more touchdowns on Thursday, he could tie Barry Sanders‘ all-time record for most total touchdowns in a player’s first three NFL seasons, something no one else has come close to.
Barry Sanders scored 47 touchdowns in his first three seasons, and that total remains the highest in NFL history for any player in their initial three seasons, cementing Sanders‘ early-career dominance.
His impressive pace has put him on the brink of matching and potentially surpassing one of the most iconic records in NFL history.
Gibbs, however, has a clear path to surpass that mark, with six games still remaining in Detroit‘s 2025 schedule.
Gibbs on the path to NFL greatness
The significance of Gibbs‘ pace is underscored when compared to other NFL legends. Only a select group of Hall of Fame running backs have scored more touchdowns in their first three seasons.
Earl Campbell, the explosive Texans star of the late 1970s, scored 45 touchdowns in his first three years. Eric Dickerson and Gale Sayers each tallied 46, placing them just ahead of Gibbs.
What sets Gibbs apart is the consistency and versatility he has shown. While Sunday’s performance showcased his ability to find the end zone in multiple ways, it is his overall contribution to the Lions‘ offense that has kept him on track for such historic numbers.
As a rookie in 2023 and again in 2024, he already established himself as one of the most productive backs in franchise history, earning back-to-back Pro Bowl selections, setting a franchise single-season record for total touchdowns in 2024, and becoming the first in NFL history with 70+ scrimmage yards in all 17 games that season.
This 2025 campaign has already seen Gibbs‘ greatness multiple times. In a Week 12 game against the New York Giants, he exploded for 219 rushing yards, added a receiving score, and capped it all off with a 69-yard touchdown run in overtime, his third touchdown of the game, to lift the Lions to a dramatic 34-27 win.
Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Gibbs put up 218 total yards and two touchdowns in a dominant 24-9 victory.
And in 2024, he put together one of the best seasons in Lions history, racking up 1,412 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns, along with 512 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. That gave him 20 total TDs that year alone, a single-season franchise record.
If Gibbs continues on this path, he could become the fastest player in league history to reach 50 touchdowns in just three seasons. Beyond breaking records, his performances could serve as a springboard for the Lions as they aim to contend in the NFC.
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