By Blessing 
David Montgomery isn’t just showing up to training camp—he’s arriving with something to prove. Now entering his seventh NFL season, the Detroit Lions running back has seen a lot over the years. He’s become a key part of Detroit’s dynamic backfield alongside rising star Jahmyr Gibbs, yet he still feels like he’s flying under the radar.
In just two seasons with the Lions, Montgomery has quietly racked up 1,790 rushing yards and found the end zone 25 times. That’s no small feat. And don’t forget his earlier years in Chicago, where he also posted impressive numbers. Still, despite all that, Montgomery senses he’s being overlooked.
“This is probably the hungriest that I have been, because I feel like a lot of people forget that I’m here in the offense, too,” Montgomery said Sunday. “I’m not here to prove anybody wrong. I’m here to prove myself right and be the best teammate that I can be, but I definitely got a big chip on my shoulder.”
Much of the attention has understandably gone to Gibbs, who took the NFL by storm last year. The 2023 first-round pick rushed for 1,412 yards, tied for the league lead with 16 touchdowns, and consistently made highlight reels. But Montgomery isn’t bitter—he sees opportunity.
With Gibbs potentially seeing more time as a receiver this year, both backs could share the field more often, creating nightmare scenarios for opposing defenses.
“It’s super exciting,” Montgomery said. “Being able to have me and him on the field at the same time, it’ll be tough for defenses to prepare for us.”
But Montgomery’s motivation runs deeper than just stats or playing time. He ended last season battling injury and posted a quiet playoff performance, rushing for just 28 yards on seven carries. That finish didn’t sit well with him—and it’s driving him now.
Beyond his personal mission, Montgomery is locked in on a much larger goal. After falling just short of a Super Bowl in 2023 and missing out on the NFC’s top seed last year, the entire Lions roster feels an intense desire to finally break through.
“Everybody is out there hungry,” Montgomery emphasized. “We’re tired of just being close… You want to finish it. So this is the year for us: the year of the reckoning and the year that we choose that we need to finish.”
For Montgomery, it’s more than just another season—it’s a personal and team-wide mission. And this time, he wants to make sure no one forgets he’s part of the fight.