By Blessing 
David Montgomery couldn’t quite catch a break in 2024.
The Detroit Lions boasted one of the NFL’s top-scoring offenses last season, powered by breakout performances across the board. With a dynamic running back duo and a strong group of receivers supporting quarterback Jared Goff, moving the ball downfield — and into the end zone — rarely seemed like a challenge.
But for Montgomery, one frustrating trend stood out: he consistently came up just short of scoring.
In a recent NFL.com article marking Friday the 13th with some “unlucky” stats, Kevin Patra highlighted one such misfortune. He noted that Saquon Barkley, now with the Philadelphia Eagles, led the league by being tackled at the 1-yard line 11 times last season.
Montgomery wasn’t far behind. He was one of five players tied for second in that category, getting stopped just shy of the goal line eight times.
Despite the bad luck, Montgomery still had a solid year. He racked up 775 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, playing a key role in the Lions’ success. His backfield partner, Jahmyr Gibbs, also delivered an impressive season, eclipsing 1,400 rushing yards and scoring 16 touchdowns on the ground.
Still, those eight near-misses surely left Montgomery wanting just a little more.