Gibbs passes Sanders with 58 NFL touchdowns before his 25th birthday

Jahmyr Gibbs has passed the player whose No. 20 he once chose to wear. His two touchdowns against Arizona brought him to 58 NFL regular-season scores before his 25th birthday, moving him past Barry Sanders’ previous mark of 57.

The record covers touchdowns scored, combining rushing and receiving production. Detroit’s official career table lists 46 rushing touchdowns and 12 receiving touchdowns for Gibbs through Sunday. Those figures add to 58 across 54 regular-season appearances; they are separate from postseason statistics.

Gibbs reached Sanders’ total on a one-yard run early in the second quarter. His next touchdown, a three-yard run with 5:03 left in the fourth, put him alone at the top. On that play he bounced away from traffic and reversed toward the right side before finishing the run. Detroit won 45-21.

Gibbs is 24 and turns 25 on March 20, 2027, leaving the remainder of this regular season inside the record’s age window. His total has grown from 49 touchdowns through his first three seasons to 58 after five games this year. Seven of his nine touchdowns this season have come on the ground, with two more as a receiver.

The Sanders connection started well before Detroit drafted Gibbs in 2023. ESPN’s Eric Woodyard reported that Gibbs chose No. 20 for a junior-high game after watching Sanders on YouTube. The former Lions great later welcomed Gibbs to Detroit and congratulated him after Sunday’s achievement, according to Woodyard’s report.

The way Gibbs described his performance after the game was less about the number than the players creating room for him. In Detroit’s official postgame interview, he credited the offensive line and receivers blocking downfield for making his job easier.

That production has come through both parts of his role. Gibbs finished Sunday with 151 rushing yards and 56 receiving yards, totaling 207 yards from scrimmage.

Sources

Lions official Gibbs career statistics · ESPN: Gibbs passes Sanders for touchdowns before age 25 · Gibbs surpasses Sanders under-25 touchdown mark · ESPN: Lions-Cardinals final box and play log