The Detroit Lions will be back in action in the Divisional Round after receiving a bye during Wild Card Weekend as the NFC North winners and holders of the No. 1 seed. Detroit earned that crown in the regular-season finale after defeating the Minnesota Vikings to improve to 15-2 on the year.
Three weeks earlier, in Week 15, running back David Montgomery suffered an injury to his knee in the loss to the Buffalo Bills. Will Detroit have Montgomery back for its first game in the 2024 NFL playoffs?
Let’s examine the Lions’ RB injury and his availability for Sunday’s Divisional Round matchup.
What Happened to David Montgomery?
While Detroit’s heartbreaking loss to the Bills ended an 11-game winning streak, it was also harsh on the team from an injury perspective. Most of all, losing Montgomery was too steep a price to pay for a team so heavily reliant on its offense.
On a 4th-and-4 conversion by wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in the second quarter, Montgomery came limping off the field. Yet, he remained on the sideline rather than exiting for the locker room.
Montgomery returned to the game for the second half but had only one additional carry. As it turned out, he missed more time and had a more severe injury than initially realized.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported that Montgomery would be out indefinitely after suffering an MCL injury during the game. The Lions’ RB, however, underwent additional testing on his knee with the hopes of a second opinion changing things.
Unfortunately, head coach Dan Campbell confirmed that Montgomery would need surgery to repair his knee and would miss the rest of the season. Yet, four days later, fans got some euphoria-inducing news.
Thanks to a third opinion, Montgomery was looking to rehab the injury without surgery. As a result, a potential return as soon as the playoffs was on the horizon. Even though a return wasn’t guaranteed, it gave the fan base and the team itself a sliver of hope to hold on to.
Will Montgomery Play vs. Commanders?
Montgomery practiced in full on the Tuesday ahead of the Divisional Round weekend after playing his last game on Dec. 15. Barring any setbacks, Detroit’s running back is set to get back on the field against the Washington Commanders.
“It’s refreshing. Kind of to be back in the position to where I can help the team, yeah, I missed it, so happy to be back. I wouldn’t be out there if I wasn’t ready,” Montgomery began.
The Lions’ star addressed the surgery situation, saying, “I think the speculation that I was getting surgery or that was kind of the end-all, be-all. Nobody really ever knew. So when it got put out, I didn’t know that I was getting surgery. So, the media told me, so it was news to me, but I’m always pretty confident in who I am and how I prepare.”
Campbell is glad to have Montgomery back in his arsenal.
“It’ll mean a lot. Five’s a big part of us. He’s a huge part of us, and to me, he’s a bell cow. He’s somebody that is a tone-setter. He’s a catalyst, so there’s a place for him. There’s a place for him here, so there’ll be a place for him in this game. So it’s going to be good to get him back,” he said.
Montgomery needs to play a crucial role if the Lions want to make a deep run into the playoffs. With their form, the franchise is eyeing winning it all in New Orleans.