March 3, 2026, 1:30 p.m. CT
New Houston Texans running back David Montgomery said goodbye to the Motown City on Monday after his trade to the AFC South franchise for two draft picks and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs.
The goodbye to his “Sonic” might take a bit longer for “Knuckles” to pen, though it didn’t take long for his counterpart to let his feeling be known.
Detroit Lions All-Pro running back Jahmyr Gibbs posted an emotional goodbye to his backfield partner, tying in the Sega characters into his post. On Instagram, Gibbs shared a photo of the animated characters Sonic and Knuckles crying and walking away from each other with tears in their eyes.
After signing in 2023 with the NFC North franchise, Montgomery found out he’d be splitting carries with the future No. 12 overall pick. As a duo, Gibbs and Montgomery split carries in Detroit’s two-back system, but Gibbs eventually emerged as the team’s best option, posting back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and earning three straight Pro Bowl selections.
Montgomery’s production eventually declined in 2025 as Detroit missed the postseason for the first time in three years. His 158 carries marked the lowest of his seven-year career despite playing in all 17 games. For the second straight year, Montgomery failed to reach the 1,000-yard marke.
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Enter Houston, a team in need of a complete runner following a lackluster campaign without Pro Bowler Joe Mixon. Now with the Texans, Montgomery is expected to be the lead back, with second-year runner Woody Marks expected to take over as the new No. 2 option.
Over his three seasons with the Lions, Montgomery totaled 2,506 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns. Since 2023, the Texans have only scored 32 rushing touchdowns with seven different runners.