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Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs surpassed Barry Sanders for the most touchdowns scored before age 25 in NFL history during a 45-21 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs surpassed Hall of Famer Barry Sanders for the most touchdowns scored before age 25 in NFL history. The milestone occurred during the Lions' 45-21 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5 of the 2026-27 season.
Gibbs entered the game with 56 career touchdowns, one behind Sanders on the all-time list for players under age 25. He scored twice against the Cardinals to reach 58 touchdowns before his 25th birthday, which is scheduled for next March.
The first touchdown came on a 1-yard run in the second quarter, tying the game at 7. Gibbs secured the record-breaking score in the fourth quarter with a run to the right corner of the end zone. While the official box score recorded the play as a 3-yard run, the source notes he covered significantly more ground after changing direction to evade defenders.
In addition to his two touchdowns, Gibbs rushed for 151 yards on 25 carries and added 56 yards receiving on five catches. This performance gave him over 200 yards from scrimmage against an Arizona defense that ranked 23rd in the NFL in total yards allowed and 20th in rushing yards allowed.
Through five games of the 2026-27 season, Gibbs has accumulated:
Gibbs currently ranks second in the NFL with 504 rushing yards and is tied for the league lead with seven touchdowns this season.
Gibbs was selected by the Lions with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. At the time, some observers questioned the selection due to a prevailing perception that running backs were no longer impact players worth high draft picks, particularly after Detroit signed free-agent running back David Montgomery.
During training camp this year, the Lions extended Gibbs with a three-year, $67.5 million contract, making him the highest-paid running back in the league. The source notes that four years into his career, the decision to draft him in the top 15 is no longer questioned.
Gibbs has 13 games remaining on the Lions' 2026-27 schedule before turning 25. If he maintains his career averages of 14 rushing touchdowns and four receiving scores per season, he could extend his lead over Sanders and other NFL greats such as Randy Moss, Emmitt Smith and Jim Brown on the list of most touchdowns scored before age 25.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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