Emotions, support and TDs: David Montgomery’s return to Cincinnati brings it all out

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CINCINNATI — The hometown kid took a little longer than usual to say his goodbyes. Upon exiting the locker room, fresh off his first game in the city that raised him, David Montgomery lingered in the tunnels of Paycor Stadium for a few final convos, carrying a game ball high and tight.

Everyone knew this game meant more to him, in particular.

“We wanted to get David going,” Dan Campbell said of Montgomery, who helped lead the Lions to a 37-24 win over his hometown Bengals on Sunday. “We wanted to get him going because I knew this would be something special for him.”

In the days leading up to this game, Montgomery spent time reflecting on what this weekend would mean to him. Montgomery has never played in Cincinnati. It’s a bit of a milestone. His loved ones were coming to see him play and didn’t have to travel far to do it.

It’s an inherently positive story now, as time has passed. It wasn’t always, though, when Montgomery was navigating it all.

There are memories associated with this city that weigh heavily on his mind, despite the success Montgomery has carved out for himself at the highest level of the sport. He’s seen loved ones incarcerated. He’s experienced death in senseless, avoidable ways. Most recently, he’s had to grapple with the life-altering reality that his sister Kiki, paralyzed from the neck down after a car accident in February 2024, might never be the same.

The life he once lived in Cincinnati is enough to derail those who weren’t built for it. And as much as players and coaches try to downplay narratives in the days leading up to a game, when the moment arrives, human nature can’t help but seize control.

These guys feel. They empathize. They hurt. They want to do right by one another, for one another.

That’s why there was no doubt that on this day, the Lions wanted to do right by Montgomery.

“You could see the emotion he was dealing with, being back here for the first time in quite some time, playing in front of some family,” Lions QB Jared Goff said.

“When David faces adversity, he presses forward and gives it all,” said linebacker Derrick Barnes, born across the river in nearby Covington, Ky. “He deserves everything that comes his way. He’s an amazing running back and an amazing person.”

The Lions wanted to get Montgomery going in this game. Campbell said as much, offering insight into how he operates as a head coach. You won’t find many who think as thoughtfully about his players as Campbell. He has a keen sense of what each week entails for certain guys. He also happens to have an offense that can dictate how games are going to go.

This had all the makings of a David Montgomery day. Perhaps the Bengals were privy to that information, too.

There were times you could tell the Lions were trying to feed Montgomery, particularly early. The Bengals responded. When Montgomery was on the field, the Lions faced eight or more men in the box on 80 percent of their rushes, per TruMedia. The Bengals did a good job bottling him up and limiting the damage on his first few runs.

The Lions had built-in workarounds, though.

David Montgomery finished with a game-high 65 rushing yards, one reception and one touchdown pass. (Junfu Han / Detroit Free-Press via Imagn Images)

Montgomery last played in this city 10 years ago, when he was a star quarterback — yes, quarterback — at Mt. Healthy High. During team meetings the Saturday before certain games, Campbell typically names a guest captain for the week. The announcement of Montgomery as a captain for Sunday’s game vs. the Bengals — very much intentional — was accompanied by highlights of him at quarterback for Mt. Healthy, shown to the entire team.

“He was throwing some dimes, man,” CB Amik Robertson said of Montgomery’s high school tape.

A day later, the Lions showed the NFL he’s still got it.

With the Bengals loading the box, the Lions ran a play that featured Montgomery as a wildcat quarterback, on second-and-goal from the Cincinnati 3.

You could see the Bengals’ defense scrambling before the snap. Montgomery received the snap from Graham Glasgow, took a few steps forward to draw in the linebackers, then showed off the arm and hit a wide-open Brock Wright, leaking out for a touchdown.

Not a coincidence the Lions pulled that out this week.

“We put in that play for him to score a little tuddy,” left guard Christian Mahogany said. “I’m glad we put that in.”

“We had been repping the play for a couple of weeks,” Montgomery said. “I was a little nervous. I had greased up my arm today, but I was able to get downfield, drop back and find Brock. It was super cool.”

As much as his teammates loved the design of the play, there’s nothing like crossing the goal line yourself. The Lions as a team are good enough to impose their will on opponents, even when they’re not at their best. Up 21-3 in the third quarter, the Lions weren’t done making this day about Montgomery.

After a 39-yard completion to Sam LaPorta on the opening play of a third-quarter drive, the Lions ran their offense through Montgomery. He touched the ball on the next six plays — five rushes and one reception — totaling 41 yards from scrimmage. He capped it off with an 8-yard rushing touchdown to put the Lions ahed 28-3.

Montgomery’s sister Kiki, attending her first Lions game since her accident, was in the crowd watching her brother, wearing his jersey.

“Super meaningful,” Montgomery said. “My sister hadn’t seen me play in person since her accident. But to be able to get her here — I really appreciate the Cincinnati Bengals helping, and they made sure that she got on the field. That was really special and I appreciate them for that. It was a very special moment for me.”

Montgomery finished with a game-high 65 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown and a passing touchdown. He did it in a stadium that felt like home in more ways than one. Detroit was there to support him. Lions fans made the four-hour trek down I-75 — or the roughly one-hour flight — from Detroit for this game. You could feel it the moment you touched down in Cincinnati. Lions fans were out in full force. At the airport. Lobbies of hotels. Bars and restaurants around the city. It was no different in the stadium Sunday. Their presence grew stronger as the game progressed, watching a player who feels like one of their own have a day he won’t soon forget.

There aren’t a lot of coaches who think about the game the way Campbell does. At least, there aren’t many who are as open about it as Campbell is. He knows certain games mean more than others, contrary to what coachspeak would have you believe. There’s an appreciation for them — and an acknowledgement of them — with this team specifically.

Goff was showered with love and chants of his name when the Lions beat the Rams to earn their first playoff victory in 32 years. In the locker room after the win, Campbell told Goff he was good enough for Detroit. After a win over the Houston Texans last year, Campbell handed out a couple of game balls to native Houstonians. One to defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, on the heels of an excellent defensive performance, and one to Jake Bates, who once worked as a brick salesman in Houston, ready to give up the dream of football before a second chance eventually led him to the Lions.

Even Campbell was given a game ball in the locker room last October after beating the Dallas Cowboys — his hometown team and the franchise he once played for — for the first time as a head coach. Each week brings something new.

This stuff matters to this team. And this day mattered to Montgomery. It’s why he exited the stadium for a trip back to his new home of Detroit, with a game ball in hand. Perhaps one that’ll mean more to him than others he’s picked up along this journey of his.

“Everybody respects David Montgomery and I think everybody roots for that guy,” Campbell said. “Because that guy will do anything for his teammates. He lays it on the line on Sundays, he lays it on the line in practice. You know what you’re gonna get out of David Montgomery.”

Everyone did on Sunday, back where it all started.

(Top photo of Montgomery: Katie Stratman / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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