The Detroit Lions have broken up the 'Sonic and Knuckles' pairing of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, but the banter between the two is still alive.

Shortly after Montgomery's move to the Houston Texans, he posted a picture of himself in a Texans jersey, prompting Gibbs to send a playful jab at his former backfield partner.

“Ig im happy for u,” he wrote in the comment with two rolling eyes emojis.

After three seasons, the Lions traded Montgomery to the Houston Texans on Monday, just days after Lions GM Brad Holmes said that he would “love” to keep the duo intact going forward into the next season.

"We'd love to have him. Kind of want to put last year in the rearview and just move forward."

It seems like Holmes got a very convincing offer in the trade to pull it off. The Lions received offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a seventh-round pick in 2027 and a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft. 

Earlier this month, Montgomery posted a heartfelt farewell on Instagram, thanking the city of Detroit and its supporters.

"Detroit has never just been a location to me – it's been a community. And you all have been more than supporters or a team. You've been steady hands, loud cheers, honest feedback, and quiet strength when I needed it most."

Gibbs and Montgomery played together for 3 seasons between 2023 and 2025. They earned the 'Sonic and Knuckles' moniker because of Gibbs' speed and Montgomery's brute force approach to the game.

This is not the first time Gibbs has reacted in this way. Right after the trade, he posted a picture of Sonic and Knuckles walking away from each other on his Instagram Story with a heartbroken emoji.

However, a move away from the Lions was always on the cards for Montgomery, who became second choice to Gibbs in the 2025 season. Not only did he not start a game, but he also made a career-low 158 rushing attempts.

The Lions' GM Gave an Early Indication of the Montgomery trade

Even before the offseason started, Montgomery was subject to trade speculations. As the offseason began, GM Brad Holmes also dropped an early indication that the second running back might be out of Detroit by the end of the trade deadline. 

Speaking at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Holmes appreciated Montgomery's game while also hinting at a feeling of possible displeasure from the player.

"Obviously, a player has to want to be at a certain place as well. So those conversations are still fluid, and we’ll just kind of see how it goes."

With the Lions failing to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2022, there was always a priority to revamp the offensive line. Unfortunately, it came at the expense of Montgomery, who was dissatisfied with his shrunken role with the team.

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press thinks the team would need more reinforcements, especially at center and guard.

"They need a center to replace Graham Glasgow, who was released Monday afternoon, and depth at guard where Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany spent most of last season as first-year starters."

It remains to be seen which players the Lions go after next.

What do you think about the Lions trading Montgomery? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by

Nandjee Ranjan