After signing a record-setting three-year, $67.5 million contract extension with the Detroit Lions on Thursday, running back Jahmyr Gibbs spoke to the media for the first time since inking the new deal on Friday.
“Before I got here, everything you hear about Detroit is negative. Since I’ve been here, all I can say is positive things. The people, there’s a lot of good food here, the culture. I love being here. So I’m glad I get to be here for the next five years and I’m extremely blessed,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs shared how difficult the contract negotiations were for him and how tough the decision to hold-in was to start Lions training camp.
“This process was extremely stressful because I just wanted to play ball. I missed being out there with my teammates and coaches. It’s just fun being out there now with my pads and stuff on. It just feels a lot better.
“It was really hard, but it’s a business and stuff has just got to get done. But, yeah, it was really hard,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs’ new extension, which could be worth $75.75 million if incentives are met, will add on to the remaining two years of his rookie deal and keep the 2023 first-rounder with the Lions through the 2030 NFL season. It also keeps the franchise’s core players together for the foreseeable future.
“It means a lot. We’re all great friends, so us being together is just going to build the chemistry for us and the team, so it’s going to be a great thing,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs has accomplished a ton already, including his 49 touchdowns scored, which are the most of any player in their first three seasons in NFL history.
So, what does the next level look like in Gibbs’ mind?
“Ultimately, I just want to win a Super Bowl with this team, and doing anything it takes to get that would be: POW,” Gibbs said.
For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: ‘I love being here’: Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs talks contract extension
Reporting by Scout Springgate, Lions Wire / Lions Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Scout Springgate, Lions Wire | USA TODAY Network
