Jahmyr Gibbs is rapidly building a résumé that places him not only among today’s elite running backs, but also among the most remarkable young talents the NFL has seen.

On Thursday Night Football, the Detroit Lions’ electric playmaker delivered another standout performance, scoring three times on the ground in Detroit’s 44–30 win over the Cowboys.

Those scores pushed Gibbs to 47 total career touchdowns — a milestone matched only once before in league history. The only other player to reach that number before turning 24? Barry Sanders. Gibbs has now tied Sanders for both the most touchdowns before age 24 and the most in a player’s first three NFL seasons.

With his 24th birthday not arriving until March, Gibbs is virtually guaranteed to break those records outright.

Selected 12th overall in 2023, Gibbs has fully validated the Lions’ investment. For his first two seasons he shared much of the workload with David Montgomery, and while Montgomery remains involved — he also found the end zone on Thursday — the offense has clearly shifted toward Gibbs as its centerpiece, especially in the passing attack.

Against Dallas, Gibbs logged only 43 rushing yards on 12 carries, but his three touchdowns and his impact as a receiver (seven receptions for 77 yards) were the story of the night.

Matching anything achieved by Sanders is an extraordinary feat, and seeing two Lions share an NFL record underscores how exceptional Gibbs has been. His early career production is nearly unprecedented; Sanders is the only reasonable comparison so far. Fittingly, the Lions legend was in attendance on Thursday, watching Gibbs electrify Detroit fans in a way no one has since No. 20 roamed the field.