Detroit’s backfield is going to be missing its “Knuckles” next season.
Taking to his Instagram Stories on Monday, a “heartbroken” Jahmyr Gibbs reacted to the shocking trade of teammate David Montgomery to the Texans with an emotional tribute centered on their video game alter egos.
The post featured a teary-eyed Sonic the Hedgehog (a.k.a. Gibbs), walking in the opposite direction of friend Knuckles the Echidna (Montgomery), who also had a tear in his eye.
Gibbs, 23, captioned the animated post with a broken heart emoji.
Teammates since 2023, Gibbs and Montgomery made up the Lions’ fierce rushing attack, which had the internet latching on to the Sega monikers.
“I would say it’s pretty accurate, but I would say in some ways, we could change roles, depending on situation,” Gibbs told ESPN in 2024, the same season he rushed for a career-high 1,412 yards while Montgomery tallied 775 in the regular season.
The Lions finished the year as the top seed in the NFC at 15-2 before being upset at home by the Commanders in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Detroit failed to replicate the success of 2024 this past season, finishing 9-8 and missing the playoffs amid coaching changes, including on the offensive side of the ball.
Gibbs and Montgomery both saw dips in their production at 1,223 yards and 716, respectively.
Montgomery, who signed a two-year, $18.25 million extension with the Lions in 2024, saw his name pop up in trade talks Sunday before the team ultimately made a move a day later.
“It’s hard to find the words for a goodbye like this,” Montgomery, 28, wrote Monday in an Instagram tribute.
“Detroit has never been just a location to me — it’s been a community. And you all have been more than supporters or a team. You have been steady hands, loud cheers, honest feedback, and quiet strength when I needed it most.
“You believed in me when things were uncertain. You stood beside me through challenges. You showed up — consistently, fiercely, unapologetically.
“… I’m beyond grateful — and I’ll always be proud to say I was shaped by this city and by you.”
In exchange for Montgomery, the Texans are sending the Lions a 2026 fourth-round pick, a 2027 seventh-round pick and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, according to ESPN.
