David Montgomery injury update: Lions RB needs surgery, out for season

The Detroit Lions injury luck cannot possibly get any worse.

After suffering three more defensive injuries against the Buffalo Bills, the news got even worse on Monday. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Lions running back David Montgomery is “out indefinitely” after suffering an MCL injury on Sunday. Per Schefter, Montgomery is undergoing more tests, but could be out for the season.

Lions coach Dan Campbell confirmed that Montgomery’s injury will require surgery and he will miss the remainder of the season.

Montgomery left the game temporarily early and was tended to by trainers. He eventually returned to the game, but was used sparingly in the second half after the Lions fell behind by several scores.

“He just got a little banged up,” coach Dan Campbell said after the game. “He got a little banged up, and really, look, we only had 15 rushes. We never got our run game going, which was going to be a point of emphasis.”

Montgomery had been the heart and soul of the Lions’ offense. Through 14 games, he rushed 185 times for 775 times and a team-leading 12 touchdowns. His physical nature often wore down opposing defenses throughout the game.

It’s a huge loss for Detroit’s offensive identity—especially since the run game has struggled in recent weeks—but the Lions do have effective running backs on the roster. Jahmyr Gibbs is in the midst of a career season, rushing for 1,047 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 5.6 yards per carry. Detroit could end up turning to Craig Reynolds and/or rookie Sione Vaki in complementary roles to ensure Gibbs isn’t overworked.

However, this is yet another hurdle for the Lions, who are in the middle of a lot of injury concerns right now.