The future of David Montgomery in Detroit remains a key offseason question. Head coach Dan Campbell addressed the running back's status at the NFL Combine, but his comments only deepened the uncertainty.

“He knows how I feel. Drew [Petzing] loves him, too. I mean, who wouldn’t? This guy, he’s a heck of a back. Certainly, it’s been healthy conversations. David’s a pro, so we’ll figure this out”, Campbell said.

Montgomery had signed with the Lions squad in 2024 on a two-year, $18.25 million contract. However, it didn't go according to plan for the running back in 2025.

He posted career lows of 716 rushing yards, 158 attempts, 182 total touches, and 908 yards from scrimmage. Compared to his multiple 1000+ yard seasons, it felt like a letdown.

His partner Jahmyr Gibbs, however, took the center stage, posting 1,839 yards from scrimmage, 320 offensive touches, and 18 touchdowns.

Despite this, the Lions seemed keen to retain the star. General Manager Brad Holmes' comments certainly made it seem so.

Holmes said to the Detroit Free Press, “We’d love to have him. Kind of want to put last year in the rearview and just move forward. But obviously, a player has to want to be at a certain place as well.”

It looks like the Lions would love to keep Montgomery in the squad, and the ball now seems to be in Montgomery’s court.

Based On Holmes' Update, Montgomery Looks Likely to Return

Holmes added, "I'll say that I've had healthy dialogue at the end of the year, and I've had a healthy dialogue with his agent." But that's not all. There's another big positive for Montgomery.

The reins have now been handed over to new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who was previously with the Arizona Cardinals. As per Montgomery, Petzing has explicitly told him that he's a part of his plans for next year. And if that means being a backup, Montgomery will consider it, as he explained a few weeks ago on the Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast.

"The good thing about this thing is I’m an incredible teammate and I’ll do whatever it is to ensure that my team is going in the right direction. But I also want to be a part of that also."

Fans are hoping that Petzing is the much-needed change that the Lions’ offense needs to see.

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Written by

Shyam Hari

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar