What happened: Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs is preparing for his upcoming bell-cow season by training with MMA coach Rafael Cordeiro, per a story from E. Woodyard. Detroit has lined Gibbs up for an expanded lead-back role in 2026 after coach Dan Campbell publicly designated him the bell cow.

Why it matters: Gibbs is leaning into MMA work for base, balance, and body control, the exact traits a featured back needs when the carries pile up. Pairing that conditioning emphasis with an offense built to run through him is why the top-3 case holds, not hype but a clear, defined role.