Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs takes dig at Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb over "America's Team" debate - "We got more playoff wins than him"
Jahmyr Gibbs, by all accounts, had an incredible rookie season.
He almost hit 1,000 yards as part of a two-headed rushing attack with free-agent signing David Montgomery. He played a major role in clinching the Detroit Lions' first division title since the days of Barry Sanders and their subsequent run to the NFC championship game, where they lost at the San Francisco 49ers.
And that was more than enough ammunition for him to use in a war of words with CeeDee Lamb over the right to be called "America's Team" on Pro Bowl weekend.
The Dallas Cowboys wide receiver had initiated the proceedings:
"I mean, they go to one playoff, have a little success; now they 'America's Team?' It's crazy."
Gibbs had the perfect retort as Detroit won two playoff games this season while Lamb has only won one, last season:
"We got more playoff wins than CeeDee, though."
What did Jahmyr Gibbs do at the 2024 Pro Bowl?
It's no secret that Jahmyr Gibbs was prolific on the ground in 2023, but he was also prolific in the air, catching 52 passes for 316 yards and a touchdown in the regular season and a further 11 for 94 in the postseason.
On Sunday, he got to show that dual-threat potential when he grabbed a touchdown from Baker Mayfield, whose Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to Detroit in the divisional round, in the fourth quarter of the AFC-NFC flag football game.
The touchdown proved to be the difference as the NFC defeated the AFC 64-59. Mayfield and New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis were named the MVPs.
Jahmyr Gibbs almost went to Vikings, says writer for The Athletic
Meanwhile, at the same time as the Pro Bowl, the Senior Bowl was occurring in Alabama. There, The Athletic's Alec Lewis learned from a source that the Minnesota Vikings nearly drafted Gibbs last year:
"The Vikings adored Gibbs. Had he fallen to Minnesota at No. 23, he would have been a serious consideration. The team believed his speed, vision and receiving ability would have aligned nicely with its high-powered offense, which would have been structured to lighten the load on a scrappy but unproven defense."
The Vikings eventually settled for wide receiver Jordan Addison, who bolstered the receiving corps of Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn and tight end T.J. Hockenson in the wake of Adam Thielen's departure.