Sonic or knuckles? Lions latest coaching hire says a lot about Jahmyr Gibbs future

The Detroit Lions were heavily scrutinized for selecting running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Many questioned the wisdom behind spending a high draft pick on the Alabama product when the roster already featured running backs D'Andre Swift and David Montgomery.

The consensus was that the Lions overvalued the prospect. PFF called the selection a "below average" pick, CBS Sports gave the pick a D grade, SB Nation referred to it as a "major reach" and The Athletic called it an "odd move." The Lions disagreed.

Detroit had a clear vision for their offense under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who implemented an offense that relied on a diverse rushing attack. Swift excelled in a zone-blocking run scheme, but he was not an ideal fit for gap scheme runs. Gibbs, on the other hand, thrived with both zone and gap schemes in Alabama's spread offense.

Gibbs quickly erased any doubt about his draft value, earning Pro Bowl nods in both of his seasons while establishing himself as one of the most explosive offensive players in the league. Although Detroit's offensive coaching staff has undergone significant turnover this offseason, the team's coaching hires have left no doubt about their stance on Gibbs' role on the team.

Lions reunite Jahmyr Gibbs with former running backs coach

The Lions hired Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice as their new running backs coach on Thursday, per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.

Choice was instrumental in recruiting Gibbs out of high school. The four-star recruit passed on an opportunity to join blue-blood programs like Florida and committed to Georgia Tech, where Choice was the running backs coach. When Gibbs was asked why he made that decision on National Signing Day, he didn't hesitate to respond. "Coach Choice," Gibbs said.

“It’s his personality. It’s like no other,” Gibbs said when asked why he and Choice got along, per The Athletic. “He’s a great dude. He really cares about everybody. He’s one of the best people I’ve ever met.”

Choice left to join Lincoln Riley's coaching staff at USC in 2021, and Gibbs transferred to Alabama in 2022. Now, they'll be reunited in Detroit with a dominant offensive line and potent rushing attack. The Lions were ninth in the league with an average of 4.7 yards per carry and ranked sixth with 2,488 total rushing yards. Gibbs, who lead the team with 1,412 rushing yards,

Like most of coaching staff under head coach Dan Campbell, Choice is a former NFL player. He played as a running back for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills and Indianapolis Colts during his six-year career. He'll help replenish Detroit's coaching staff, which lost eight assistant coaches this offseason, including five offensive coaches. Lions assistant head coach Scottie Montgomery, who served as the running backs coach, will shift to wide receivers coach in 2025.