On Sunday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery wanted “out,” and Montgomery shut down the report.
Whether Montgomery truly wanted out of Detroit will likely remain a mystery to the public, but by Monday morning, he had a new home.
The Lions traded Montgomery to the Houston Texans in exchange for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a fourth-round draft pick, and a seventh-round draft pick.
Montgomery penned an emotional goodbye to Detroit shortly after the trade was announced.
His Instagram post reads as follows:
“It’s hard to find the right words for a goodbye like this,” he wrote. “Detroit has never just been a location to me — it’s been a community. And you all have been more than supporters or a team. You’ve been steady hands, loud cheers, honest feedback, and quiet strength when I needed it most. You believed in me when things were uncertain. You stood beside me through challenges. You showed up — consistently, fiercely, unapologetically.
“There is something special about the people here. The resilience. The loyalty. The way you don’t just support someone — you ride with them. I have felt that from each of you, and I will never take that lightly. This isn’t goodbye because something ended. It’s goodbye because something grew. And growth sometimes calls us forward.
Please know this: Everything I do next carries a piece of Detroit with it. The work ethic. The edge. The heart. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for pushing me. Thank you for walking this chapter with me.I’m beyond grateful — and I’ll always be proud to say I was shaped by this city and by you.
With appreciation and respect,
Dmoe”
Montgomery, a 2019 third-round draft pick, spent his first four seasons with the Chicago Bears. He signed with Detroit in 2023, the same year the Lions selected running back Jahmyr Gibbs at No. 12 overall. Together, they formed a one-two punch dubbed “Sonic & Knuckles,” and Gibbs posted how sad he is to see his running mate go. But it became clear in 2025 that Gibbs demanded more touches, in the run and passing game, and serves as the engine of the Lions’ offense.
Montgomery rushed for a combined 2,506 yards and 33 touchdowns across three seasons in Detroit, including a 1,000-yard and 13-touchdown campaign in 2023. According to NFL senior researcher Tony Holzman-Escareno, Montgomery (2023-25) and Gibbs (2023-25) joined Barry Sanders, Billy Sims, and Dutch Clark as the only players in Lions history with 2,500-plus yards and 30-plus touchdowns.
Last season, Montgomery carried the ball 158 times for 716 yards and eight touchdowns.
While Montgomery was on a very team-friendly contract, this move allows the Lions to fully prioritize extending Gibbs. Plus, Montgomery will get the chance to be the featured back in Houston. The Texans traded for then-Cincinnati running back Joe Mixon and immediately extended him in 2024. Mixon put up 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground in 2024, but he missed all of 2025 with a foot injury that eventually required surgery.