Jahmyr Gibbs is coming off a productive year and has his eyes set on 2026. The running back has racked up more than 5,000 yards from scrimmage across the last three seasons.

The Lions' backfield will look different this year after RB David Montgomery was traded to the Houston Texans in a deal involving offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and future draft picks. With one of Detroit's primary ball-carriers no longer in the picture, Gibbs could be asked to shoulder an even bigger role in the offense.

To prepare for that possibility, Gibbs has looked beyond traditional football workouts. The Pro Bowl running back has added MMA training to his regimen under Rafael Cordeiro, the founder of Kings MMA.

Cordeiro is well known for coaching world champions, including Anderson Silva (former UFC middleweight champion), Fabricio Werdum (former UFC heavyweight champion), and the name that needs no introduction, Mike Tyson, from 1987 to 1990.

Cordeiro, with Gibbs, has been working out at Kings MMA Gym in Huntington Beach, California. Cordeiro has been impressed by Gibbs' approach to the training.

"He shows zero fear. Zero hesitation. And this is the most important thing. I can teach techniques. I can teach punches, kicks, jiu-jitsu ... sure I can," added Cordeiro, "But to make people keep eye contact until they get to the end of the fight, this is something."

Since March, Gibbs has been working on his combinations, defense, and how to move in and out. The same routine his professional fighters follow. Even sparring sessions have been included in that training schedule. 

Seeing Gibbs incorporate MMA training into his workouts, even Lions RB coach Tashard Choice is impressed.

Lions Running Back Coach Talks About The Benefits Of MMA Training

According to NFL insider Eric Woodyard, Jahmyr Gibbs has completed more than 20 hour-long training sessions. His dedication to the craft has impressed coach Rafael and also his team's running back coach, Tashard Choice.

Christian Booher of the Detroit Lions on SI reported on the training approach, quoting Choice on what MMA brings to football:

"When you do MMA training, a lot of times most people don't understand, boxing, when you're punching, it's all about hand placement and hand-eye coordination."

"Balance, putting the weight on the balls of your feet the same way you do it when you're in pass-protection, the same thing you're doing when you're running and planting on the outside foot," Choice added.

He has attributed this training to how it helps to build leg mobility. Also, the strength that can be built with this particular style of training.

As Gibbs prepares for a larger role in Detroit's offense, both Cordeiro and Choice believe the MMA-based training can help sharpen the balance, coordination, and movement skills that translate directly to the football field.

Do you think MMA training will make any difference in the performance of Jahmyr Gibbs? Let us know in the comments.

Read more on the Detroit Lions Community

Written by

Sourav Ganguly

Edited by

Rudra Dubey