Detroit Lions star running back David Montgomery has headed to the locker room after a hard hit late in the third quarter against the Indianapolis Colts and is questionable to return.
Montgomery appears to have sustained the injury during the play below, although details are still scarce. The RB left the game after taking a short pass 14 yards in the third quarter. He was shortly after seen walking to the locker room without his shoulder pads on.
Montgomery exited the game with 37 rushing yards and a touchdown on eight carries, along with three receptions for 36 yards. Despite Montgomery’s contributions, Jahmyr Gibbs is the team’s starting running back when both are healthy, with the duo operating as a “thunder and lightning” combination. Gibbs has rushed 13 times for 55 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to catching two passes for 12 yards.
The RB was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round (73rd overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft after a standout career at Iowa State. In his rookie year with the Bears, Montgomery quickly became the team’s lead back, showcasing his toughness and workhorse capabilities.
Over his first three seasons in Chicago, he established himself as a reliable ball carrier, consistently putting up solid rushing yards and contributing in the passing game. Despite the Bears’ offensive struggles, Montgomery was a steady presence in their backfield, averaging over 1,000 total yards per season and earning the trust of coaches and teammates alike.
In 2023, Montgomery signed with the Detroit Lions. After missing two games due to injury, he returned to share the backfield with rookie Jahmyr Gibbs. Together, they formed one of the NFL’s most dynamic duos, becoming the first pair in league history to record 1,000 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns in a single season.
Montgomery finished the year with 219 carries for 1,015 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns, along with 16 receptions for 117 receiving yards in 14 games. He scored a touchdown in 11 of those games. The Lions advanced to the NFC Championship, where they were narrowly defeated by the 49ers, 34–31. Montgomery contributed with 113 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in the loss.
In a Week 4 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks this season, Montgomery set a Lions franchise record by scoring a touchdown in seven consecutive games, tying Billy Sims’ record for most straight games with a rushing touchdown. If his shoulder injury has any effect on the rest of the season, it could be a major blow to the Lions’ offense.
