David Montgomery has been everything the Lions hoped he'd be when they signed the veteran running back as a free agent from Chicago in 2023.
His short-area quickness and hard running style are a perfect complement to Jahmyr Gibbs' explosiveness and speed. The two make up the best running back duo in the NFL.
Montgomery sets the tone for what the Lions want to be about offensively. He's already been awarded Good Morning Football's Angry Runs scepter for his efforts running through and around Seattle's defense Week 4. His 15 broken tackles on the year rank in the top 10 among the league's running backs.
One of the best things anyone can say abut a running back is they run the ball hard and it's no fun to tackle them. That's Montgomery. Lions head coach Dan Campbell looks at his running style and is immediately reminded of old school football.
"Man, to me, he's a throwback," Campbell said. "There are throwback principles about him, and I mean that with all due respect. His running style is – it's rare.
"Look, we were watching clips this morning, I think (Texans RB Joe) Mixon at Houston runs really hard in today's football too, he's an aggressive style, but I think David is just different and he's downhill, doesn't give up, first guy, he's not going to let him tackle him, continues to churn his legs, and just violent, violent, never give up, never going down.
"When I watch him, it just reminds me of some of the great ones, man, back in the heyday. I mean, they just – they don't go down. So, freaking Earl Campbell, man, Earl Campbell ran like crazy, Walter Payton ran like crazy and would not go down."
That's pretty elite company for Montgomery but there's no denying his style is similar. He rarely loses yards and it often takes more than one defender to bring him down.
"I think we're fortunate to have him, and I can tell you this, the O-line loves blocking for that guy and anybody that plays with him, I mean, you want to talk about inspiring?" Campbell said. "That inspires you to want to block."
Montgomery has rushed for a touchdown in eight of the 10 games he's played this season. Since joining the Lions in 2023, he's rushed for a touchdown in 19 of 24 games (79.2 percent), tied for the most games with a rushing touchdown in the NFL over that span.
View photos of the starters for the Indianapolis Colts.
![Head Coach: Shane Steichen
Offensive Coordinator: Jim Bob Cooter
Defensive Coordinator: Gus Bradley
Special Teams Coordinator: Brian Mason
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/qpzaakwxyhjzcqzrfp8r.jpg)
Head Coach: Shane Steichen
Offensive Coordinator: Jim Bob Cooter
Defensive Coordinator: Gus Bradley
Special Teams Coordinator: Brian Mason
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
![WR Michael Pittman Jr.
Backed up by Ashton Dulin
(AP Photo/Abbie Parr)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/lr5t4mlohxzzlrvnln7n.jpg)
WR Michael Pittman Jr.
Backed up by Ashton Dulin
(AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
![LT Bernhard Raimann
Backed up by Blake Freeland
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/ohnajo1es7lp9j4tkgvc.jpg)
LT Bernhard Raimann
Backed up by Blake Freeland
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
![LG Quenton Nelson
Backed up by Danny Pinter and Tanor Bortolini
(AP Photo/Stew Milne)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/wsrvw5ffj7ywx9sshsqv.jpg)
LG Quenton Nelson
Backed up by Danny Pinter and Tanor Bortolini
(AP Photo/Stew Milne)
![C Tanor Bortolini
Backed up by Danny Pinter
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/ollj0ihiswcht1eoqgrt.jpg)
C Tanor Bortolini
Backed up by Danny Pinter
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
![RG Dalton Tucker
(AP Photo/Stew Milne)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/s3zobajrpjozcljrapn8.jpg)
RG Dalton Tucker
(AP Photo/Stew Milne)
![RT Braden Smith
Backed up by Matt Goncalves
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/plegfyq54rlt6z8khvzf.jpg)
RT Braden Smith
Backed up by Matt Goncalves
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
![TE Mo Alie-Cox
Backed up by Drew Ogletree
(AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/vbqq5sotoax8w7i1xdi3.jpg)
TE Mo Alie-Cox
Backed up by Drew Ogletree
(AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps
![TE Kylen Granson
Backed up by Will Mallory
(AP Photo/Abbie Parr)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/svwtkmzfpboxqlskpkch.jpg)
TE Kylen Granson
Backed up by Will Mallory
(AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
![WR Josh Downs
Backed up by Anthony Gould
(AP Photo/Adam Hunger)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/l0bdezztvalmoaunay9h.jpg)
WR Josh Downs
Backed up by Anthony Gould
(AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
![WR Alec Pierce
Backed up by Adonai Mitchell
(AP Photo/AJ Mast)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/pzxb0oqffswscshntbfm.jpg)
WR Alec Pierce
Backed up by Adonai Mitchell
(AP Photo/AJ Mast)
![QB Anthony Richardson
Backed up by Joe Flacco and Sam Ehlinger
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/bjahnpdnpxysenrpculb.jpg)
QB Anthony Richardson
Backed up by Joe Flacco and Sam Ehlinger
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
![RB Jonathan Taylor
Backed up by Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/dagkjzq5duvr3zrnimuh.jpg)
RB Jonathan Taylor
Backed up by Trey Sermon and Tyler Goodson
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
![DE Kwity Paye
Backed up by Laiatu Latu and Genard Avery
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/wfjvxgotb5kdcanfl5ax.jpg)
DE Kwity Paye
Backed up by Laiatu Latu and Genard Avery
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
![DT DeForest Buckner
Backed up by Taven Bryan and Adetomiwa Adebawore
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/zjofg62dscby2zmlmrwl.jpg)
DT DeForest Buckner
Backed up by Taven Bryan and Adetomiwa Adebawore
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
![NT Grover Stewart
Backed up by Raekwon Davis
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/iqaddksoxnjqg0kt0ds9.jpg)
NT Grover Stewart
Backed up by Raekwon Davis
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
![DE Dayo Odeyingbo
Backed up by Isaiah Land
(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/nwxapajfbukhqll60pli.jpg)
DE Dayo Odeyingbo
Backed up by Isaiah Land
(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
![WLB E.J. Speed
Backed up by Liam Anderson
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/oaefxjn4khjvj4vvs7tn.jpg)
WLB E.J. Speed
Backed up by Liam Anderson
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
![MLB Zaire Franklin
Backed up by Segun Olubi
(AP Photo/Maria Lysaker)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/p9u1agy2upr8osrpibdk.jpg)
MLB Zaire Franklin
Backed up by Segun Olubi
(AP Photo/Maria Lysaker)
![SAM Grant Stuard
Backed up by Cameron McGrone
(AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/qfyowp3tmkailz8bv2rf.jpg)
SAM Grant Stuard
Backed up by Cameron McGrone
(AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)
![CB Samuel Womack III
Backed up by David Long
(AP Photo/Gary McCullough)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/lbiwwyetjxdat0wucher.jpg)
CB Samuel Womack III
Backed up by David Long
(AP Photo/Gary McCullough)
![FS Julian Blackmon
Backed up by Rodney Thomas II and Darren Hall
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/c8jbx0lcjgd14l4madm1.jpg)
FS Julian Blackmon
Backed up by Rodney Thomas II and Darren Hall
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
![SS Nick Cross
Backed up by Ronnie Harrison Jr. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/q7winypvs0kzmfsoeljy.jpg)
SS Nick Cross
Backed up by Ronnie Harrison Jr. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
![CB Kenny Moore II
Backed up by Chris Lammons
(AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/c0yg4toggzatjuuudv77.jpg)
CB Kenny Moore II
Backed up by Chris Lammons
(AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt)
![CB Jaylon Jones
(AP Photo/John Raoux)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/f5gfog2ivfpzopklzbje.jpg)
CB Jaylon Jones
(AP Photo/John Raoux)
![P/H Rigoberto Sanchez
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/gi0coo19hj76zaegy2v1.jpg)
P/H Rigoberto Sanchez
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
![PK Matt Gay
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/ovk5i96o7wotgwgdngdy.jpg)
PK Matt Gay
(AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
![LS Luke Rhodes
(AP Photo/Gary McCullough)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/mew6wpouejvkib0denvk.jpg)
LS Luke Rhodes
(AP Photo/Gary McCullough)
![KR Tyler Goodson
Backed up by Anthony Gould and Ashton Dulin
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/rogzslcexaflh0jfdubh.jpg)
KR Tyler Goodson
Backed up by Anthony Gould and Ashton Dulin
(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
![PR Josh Downs
Backed up by Ashton Dulin
(AP Photo/George Walker IV)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/vbohpf959dtqlgpgiwzj.jpg)
PR Josh Downs
Backed up by Ashton Dulin
(AP Photo/George Walker IV)
It seems rather appropriate Montgomery is nicknamed Knuckles with Gibbs being Sonic. Montgomery seems to love contact and usually he's the one delivering the blow on first contact. He has a terrific balance of strength, toughness, quickness and sheer determination when he's got the ball in his hands. He's the perfect fit with Gibbs in Detroit's backfield and one of the big reasons why this Detroit run game averages better than 150 yards per game and ranks third in the league.
"He's been an unbelievable addition for us," Campbell said of Montgomery. "I mean, he fits us perfect. I'm so thankful we got him here, that worked out great."