Drew Petzing on Lions backfield strategy: Managing injury risk

Playing Gibbs and Montgomery together may not be worth it

Feb 18, 2026

If you have followed me over the years on X, Lions Wire, Detroit Lions Podcast, or here, you know that I am a strong proponent of managing snap counts as one of the most directly effective ways of decreasing injury risk.

In a recent interview, newly-hired offensive-coordinator Drew Petzing displayed keen understanding of the importance of managing snap counts.

Drew Petzing on 2 RB sets involving Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery

I think you’re always going to try to find ways to get your best players on the field. Whether that’s 25 times a game or 5 times a game.

I also know that no one is going to play 100% of the snaps and if they do, they’re not going to make it through 17 games. There’s a balance and a fine line. There’s also times you got to find time to give them a break and give them a blow so that they can make it through a 4 or 5 month NFL season. It’s kind of finding that balance.

Yes, when you have 2 players of that dynamic ability, you want to find things that they can do together, because it puts stress on the defense.

Full interview available here at Pride of Detroit.

Key medical takeaway of Drew Petzing interview

While the positives of playing Gibbs and Montgomery together are undeniably alluring, it’s great to hear that Petzing is fully aware that there are negatives as well.

Petzing recognizes that increasing snap counts will increase injury risk - a risk that is already high for a running back who is trying to make it through an entire 17 game season plus (hopefully) playoffs.

Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery injury history over past 3 seasons

Jahmyr Gibbs

2025: 17/17 games
2024: 18/18 games
2023: 18/20 games. Missed 2 games with hamstring suffered in practice.

David Montgomery

2025: 17/17 games
2024: 15/18 games. Missed 3 games with MCL.
2023: 17/20 games. Missed 1 game with thigh contusion. Missed 2 games with rib cartilage.

Both of these star RB’s have been remarkably reliable the past 3 seasons, but how much do you want to push their luck?

Bottom line

The added injury exposure has always been my concern with playing the Sonic & Knuckles duo together. The point of having 2 quality backs who share the load is to increase the likelihood that at least 1 will be available at any point in the season - and at least 1 will be available critically in the playoffs.

For these reasons, I would prefer to not see Gibbs and Montgomery playing together during the regular season except for maybe rare, select situations. The playoffs are a different beast where the increased reward might be worth the risk.

Regardless of what the coaching staff decides, it’s reassuring that Petzing is weighing injury risk when making strategic personnel decisions.

As I wrote on X, I knew there was something I liked about him…