Jahmyr Gibbs says mixed martial arts has improved his body control, conditioning, and physical shape as he heads into his prime years with the Lions, where he’s expected to become the bell cow tailback.
Jahmyr Gibbs is stepping into his prime with a plan that looks nothing like a typical offseason routine. Instead of only working in the weight room and on the practice field, the Lions running back has been adding mixed martial arts to his training.
Gibbs, speaking to Eric Woodyard of ESPN, described the payoff in a way that sounds built for football: “It helps with body control,” he said. “Your base and all that and faster hands. I would say with blocking, I get my hands up before they hit me.”
The veteran runner also credits MMA for how his body holds up. “I feel like my body’s gotten in better shape, like physically it looks better,” Gibbs said. “And conditioning-wise, that conditioning is way different from here because you use nonstop movement in every muscle of your body. [In football], you get more breaks and [there is] much more using your legs. But [in MMA]. it’s just constant shoulders. knees. elbows. you go to the ground and all that so out here I barely get tired.”.
The Lions are preparing to make Gibbs their bell cow tailback after they pay him accordingly. a move that would put even more responsibility on a player who has already established himself early in his career. Over his first three seasons, Gibbs has averaged 5.3 yards per rushing attempt and has earned three straight Pro Bowls.
His 2024 production carried even more weight. Gibbs led the league in rushing touchdowns with 16. even though he was on the field for only 56 percent of the offseason snaps. With that combination—efficiency. impact. and a steadily rising role—his current training shift only adds to the expectation that he could be even more dominant when the next season arrives.
If/when he’s fully unleashed in 2026, Gibbs could become a superstar—because the work he’s putting in doesn’t just aim to make him faster. It aims to make him harder to control, sharper when contact comes, and tougher when the pace never lets up.
Jahmyr Gibbs Lions MMA training mixed martial arts NFL offseason Pro Bowl rushing touchdowns 2024 rushing touchdowns