Lions' Jahmyr Gibbs gets historic extension after Falcons pay Bijan Robinson

It was assumed this past spring that either Atlanta Falcons star Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs of the Detroit Lions would enter September as the new highest-paid running back in the NFL.

Both ball-carriers ended up making some history this summer. 

Lions give Jahmyr Gibbs millions of reasons to end hold in

Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network and ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Lions made Gibbs the new highest-paid running back in NFL history when the two sides agreed to a three-year, $67.5M deal that could be worth up to $75.75M and includes $51.5M guaranteed on Thursday.

Earlier in the week, the Falcons and Robinson agreed to a three-year, $75M contract extension that included $51M guaranteed. It was then learned on Thursday morning that the Indianapolis Colts and running back Jonathan Taylor had come to an agreement on a two-year, $44M extension that has a maximum value of $47M and included $39M in guarantees.

Jahmyr Gibbs can ultimately claim victory over Bijan Robinson

Shortly after Robinson inked his deal, he made it known that one of his "dreams" related to his career was to stay with the team that selected him in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. That said, one can't help but wonder if he now regrets not waiting a little longer before he accepted the Falcons' big-money offer. 

Multiple league executives, coaches and scouts surveyed by ESPN earlier in the offseason ranked Robinson as the league's best running back, while Gibbs landed at No. 2 on that list. Per the StatMuse website, Robinson finished the 2025 regular season with a league-best 2,298 yards from scrimmage. To compare, Gibbs was fifth with 1,839 total yards from scrimmage and second with 18 scrimmage touchdowns for last season. 

Robinson ended the 2025 campaign with 11 total scores. 

Gibbs had been holding in and not practicing during training camp, but the fact that he suited up in full uniform for the first time on Thursday indicated that he was happier with his situation than he had been earlier in the week. Clearly, the Lions wanted to ensure that Gibbs made a full return to the practice field ahead of their preseason opener at the Cincinnati Bengals on Aug. 13.