Jahmyr Gibbs Breaks Barry Sanders Record, Eyes NFL TD Mark

Jahmyr Gibbs surpassed Barry Sanders on the NFL’s all-time touchdown list for players under 25 during the Detroit Lions’ 45-21 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. The running back now holds 58 career touchdowns, eclipsing the mark Sanders established before his 25th birthday in 1993.

Gibbs, who turns 25 next March, reached the milestone by rushing for 151 yards and two scores against Arizona while adding 56 receiving yards. His 207 total scrimmage yards led all NFL players in Week 6. The performance earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors on Wednesday, marking the fourth time he has received the award since entering the league.

Breaking a record held by Sanders carries distinct weight inside the Lions organization. Sanders spent his entire 10-year Hall of Fame career in Detroit from 1989 to 1998, setting a standard that defined the franchise’s offensive identity for decades. While Sanders accumulated 43 rushing touchdowns and 10 receiving scores before turning 25, Gibbs has benefited from an era where dual-threat backs are heavily utilized in passing schemes — a contrast to the ground-heavy offenses of the early 1990s.

“Impressive,” Lions quarterback Jared Goff said after the game. “Very cool that it’s Barry’s record, too. A lot of comparisons there, but yeah, he’s unbelievable. He really is.”

Through five weeks of the 2026 season, Gibbs ranks fourth in the NFL with 504 rushing yards on 105 carries. His nine total touchdowns — seven on the ground — currently lead the league. That scoring pace places him on a trajectory rarely seen in modern football.

Gibbs confirmed after the Cardinals game that he intends to chase LaDainian Tomlinson’s single-season record of 31 touchdowns, set during the San Diego Chargers’ 2006 campaign. Tomlinson scored 28 rushing and three receiving touchdowns that year, earning NFL MVP honors in what remains one of the most dominant individual seasons by a running back. No player has reached 30 total touchdowns in a single season since.

“For sure. I’m trying to get that,” Gibbs said.

The pursuit highlights how the running back position has evolved since Tomlinson’s peak. Modern NFL offenses increasingly rely on committee backfields to manage workloads and reduce injury risk, making a 31-touchdown season significantly harder to achieve than it was two decades ago. Gibbs has avoided that limitation in Detroit, serving as the focal point of an offense that pairs his explosive playmaking with Goff’s efficient passing attack.

Goff pointed to Gibbs’ ability to generate yardage immediately upon receiving the ball as the defining trait of his game.

“We did a good job in the run game and still probably didn’t do as well as we could and he made a lot of guys miss in the backfield and got a lot after the first touch and obviously caught the ball well out of the backfield,” Goff said. “I think he had what, 56 yards through the air. Gosh, he’s electric and I think you kind of saw the full scope of what we’re capable of.”

Detroit selected Gibbs with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Alabama. His previous NFC Offensive Player of the Week awards came during Weeks 10 and 12 of the 2025 season and Week 18 of the 2024 campaign. The Lions currently sit among the top-scoring teams in the league through six weeks of the 2026 schedule.