Derrick Henry Says Jahmyr Gibbs Is ‘Next’ After Bijan Robinson’s Record Falcons Deal

Bijan Robinson just blew up the running back pay scale, and Derrick Henry says his fellow Alabama product is next in line. The Atlanta Falcons running back agreed to a three-year extension worth up to $75 million, and the ripple effect landed almost immediately on Jahmyr Gibbs’ contract talks with the Detroit Lions.

Henry, who is entering a new phase of his own Hall of Fame-caliber career with the Baltimore Ravens, wasted no time putting Gibbs on notice. Speaking with Kay Adams on “Up and Adams” Wednesday, Henry made his prediction plain.

“I already told Bijan congrats and the young goat deserves it. Jahmyr is next,” Henry said.

Adams posted the exchange on X Wednesday: “Jahmyr [Gibbs] is next.” Derrick Henry on the return of the RB1 —

“Jahmyr [Gibbs] is next.”

Derrick Henry on the return of the RB1 😤@Ravens | @KingHenry_2 | @heykayadams | @saquon | @CMC_22 | @Bijan5Robinson | @Jahmyr_Gibbs1 pic.twitter.com/JtE7MRE98B

— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 5, 2026

What Robinson’s Deal Actually Pays

Robinson’s extension, reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, runs three years and can max out at $75 million with incentives. The guaranteed money is the headline number: $51 million assured, the most any running back has ever received on a veteran deal, with $37 million paid at signing. That works out to an average of $22.25 million annually, edging past Saquon Barkley’s previous high-water mark of $20.6 million per year with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The deal ended a brief hold-in for Robinson, who reported to Falcons training camp but sat out on-field work while the sides finalized terms. He’s expected back on the practice field shortly.

Why Henry Believes Gibbs Is Next

Henry isn’t just cheering from the sideline — he sees himself in this. The two-time NFL rushing champion helped drag the workhorse back into fashion during his own prime years with the Tennessee Titans, at a time when analytics-driven front offices were devaluing the position. He’s talked openly about influencing the generation of backs now cashing in behind him, Robinson and Gibbs among them.

Asked whether any of those younger backs ever show him gratitude, Henry downplayed it but made clear the respect runs both ways. “Our camaraderie is strong,” he said, without confirming anyone had directly thanked him.

Gibbs, for his part, remains on his rookie contract, a four-year, $17.8 million deal that pays him an average of roughly $4.46 million a season — a fraction of what he’d command on the open market today. He’s currently working through the final year of that deal, and the Lions already exercised his fifth-year option, which is projected to pay him around $14.3 million in 2027 if no new deal is reached first.

Gibbs Avoided a Full Holdout, but the Clock Is Ticking

Unlike Robinson, Gibbs reported to Lions training camp and has continued working in non-contact drills — he never escalated to a full holdout. But he’s been held out of physical practice work as a form of hold-in leverage while his camp and the Lions negotiate. According to Yardbarker, citing Adam Schefter, Detroit has yet to finalize an extension even as camp enters its second week, and Robinson’s deal has only intensified the pressure.

The math favors Gibbs making his case aggressively. He’s a three-time Pro Bowler who has posted back-to-back seasons north of 1,800 yards from scrimmage. Detroit also traded away David Montgomery, Gibbs’ running mate for three seasons, sending him to the Houston Texans during free agency. That trade leaves Gibbs as the unquestioned focal point of the Lions’ backfield, which should only strengthen his negotiating position with general manager Brad Holmes.

Robinson’s deal gives Gibbs’ camp a fresh number to point to. Before Wednesday, Barkley’s $20.6 million average annual value was the running back ceiling. Now it’s Robinson’s $22.25 million — and if Henry’s prediction holds, Gibbs could be the one to push past it next.