Jahmyr Gibbs, a Detroit Lions running back and former Alabama star, injured his hamstring during Monday’s practice, and the seriousness is unknown, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Gibbs suffered a soft-tissue injury during OTAs earlier this summer and missed two games last season due to the same issue.
Gibbs was selected to the Pro Bowl in his rookie NFL season last year after rushing for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns, as well as 316 receiving yards and a score. He almost won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award, and by the conclusion of the season, he was a vital player to Detroit’s NFC Championship Game appearance.
Terrion Arnold, a former Alabama standout and first-round pick, and fellow rookie cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr., a Missouri native, were also said to have left Monday’s practice due to injuries.
Gibbs, a Georgia Tech transfer, led the Crimson Tide in rushing in 2022, with 926 yards and seven touchdowns on 151 carries (6.13 YPC). He also grabbed 44 passes for a team-high 444 yards and three touchdowns. These 44 receptions were the second-most by an Alabama back in a season (Kevin Turner had 48).
Gibbs finished eighth in the SEC in rushing yards during his only season at Alabama, but with 258 kickoff return yards, he was third in the league (and 20th nationally) in all-purpose yardage with 1,628 on 208 plays. Gibbs finished his college career with 4,401 yards and 24 touchdowns on 331 plays, including his first two seasons at Georgia Tech (141.96 yards per play). The AP selected him a third-team All-American in the all-purpose category, and he was named second-team All-SEC twice.
Alabama finished 11-2 in the 2022 season with Gibbs leading the running efforts and was ranked fifth in the nation after defeating Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl.
Bill O’Brien experimented with Gibbs in a variety of offensive formations, using him as both a lead back and a pass-catcher on third-down plays. Gibbs was one of three transfer portal acquisitions for the Crimson Tide, who also benefited greatly from former Georgia wideout Jermaine Burton that season.
Gibbs took advantage of having more national exposure at Alabama than he did at Georgia Tech. His performance in the lead-up to the NFL Draft impressed Detroit enough to choose him in the first round, which was an unexpected decision.
Gibbs, a former top-100 prospect from Dalton (Ga.) High School, was Alabama’s 44th first-round pick during Nick Saban’s historic stint in Tuscaloosa when he was picked. According to 247Sports, he was the fourth-best running back in the country and the 44th overall recruit in 2020.
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