Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs had a stellar season on the field in 2024, but his social media posting has sparked some worry among fans.
Gibbs took to social media to share some love for head coach Dan Campbell and offensive lineman Dan Skipper in an AI-generated video that showed the pair shooting off guns. Some fans were wary of the implications, noting that the league has cracked down on representations of guns.
Jahmyr Gibbs Sparks Concern
Gibbs did not create the video in question, but reshared it with his followers and sparked some immediate concern. The Detroit Times posted a joking message questioning what the star running back was thinking when he posted it.
“Jahmyr Gibbs what are you doing,” the newspaper posted on X.
Jahmyr Gibbs man what are you doing 🤣
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Many fans shared a similar sentiment, suggesting that Gibbs could leave himself open to punishment from the NFL for the video.
“Smh somebody needs to tell him to stop before the NFL gets involved,” one fan shared on X.
Gibbs has attracted attention for some other offseason plans, including his appearance at WrestleMania 41.
The 23-year-old Gibbs is coming off a breakout season where he rushed for 1,412 yards and a league-leading 16 touchdowns, adding 52 receptions for 517 yards and four receiving touchdowns. He has earned two trips to the Pro Bowl, anchoring one of the league’s top rushing attacks and helping the Lions win two straight NFC North titles.
NFL Cracking Down on Gun Celebrations
While it’s not clear if Gibbs could face punishment for reposting another user’s video, the NFL has cracked down on gun-related celebrations on the field. As CBS Sports noted last year, the league began enforcing an existing rule against “violent gestures,” which one league executive said had become a strong point of focus.
“[The rule] has been in the books for years, and it hasn’t really surfaced … haven’t really noticed it that much until this year,” the executive said. “Now it’s almost an epidemic of them.”
Troy Vincent, the league’s executive vice president of football operations, said the league let players know that the crackdown would be coming before starting to issue fines.
“We’ve talked to the players and talked to the coaches. We’re not trying to make it not fun. But we also have a responsibility as professional athletes,” Vincent said last year.
Gibbs has also gotten in some trouble with his social media activity in the past. As Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports noted, he posted a video late last season showing teammate Jermar Jefferson standing in front of a whiteboard that was drawn with offensive plays and drop-back protections, including codes for some of the team’s specific calls.
Campbell had not seen the video when he was asked by a reporter. The Lions coach said he would address the issue, asking the reporter to repeat the name of the player who had posted the video.
“Oh I didn’t know that,” Campbell said. “I did not know that. Yeah, I need to check on that then. Did not know that. Yeah, I’d rather our stuff not be out there.”
