There are trophies, then there are talismans. And sometimes, the little personal keepsakes carry a lot more weight than a Super Bowl trophy. For Jahmyr Gibbs, that first Mustang screams “I made it” on paper, but when you dig deep, you’ll understand why this car means more to him than any ring.

Gibbs peeled back that knot in a sit-down with The Pivot Podcast. What begins as a feel-good “my first car” moment quickly digs deeper: that Mustang isn’t just a flex for the Detroit Lions RB. It holds the memory of someone he lost and the weight of love he feels he can’t ever fully repay.

In the video, he revealed the bond he shared with his late aunt. Indeed, her demise was the pivot moment of his life, “Probably when my aunt passed away in 2020. That stripped me hard. I was with her every day in the summer, every summer. She was like my sister, we were just always together,” he said. Losing her was the most difficult moment for him. And it was for her, Gibbs bought his shiny Mustang.

Yeah, he wasn’t even in the NFL back then, when he lost her. Probably in his sophomore year at Alabama. The guy rushed 89 times for 460 yards and four touchdowns that season. That performance earned him Second Team Freshman All-American honors from The Athletic and an Honorable Mention All-ACC nod in 2020. Talk about mentality.

So how does it relate to the Mustang? It all comes down to a game he used to play with her. “We used to play this game when she was driving. Every time we saw a Mustang, we had to call it. Then, my first car, I wanted a Mustang because of her,” he revealed. Well, safe to say the story has come full circle.

Gibbs’s been putting on a show ever since he stepped foot in the league, even earning all-rookie honours. He’ll buy more cars, sure. But this Mustang will always stand out. He didn’t have a typical childhood, and these little things matter to him.

Gibbs’ childhood and the Mustang relevance

Gibbs’s Mustang moment clicks when you know where he came from. Growing up in Dalton, Georgia, life wasn’t always normal. He lived with his grandmother at times, stayed in a Family Promise shelter, bunked with teammates during high school, and eventually found a home with Dusty and Greg Ross when they opened their doors.

There are a few people in an adoptee’s life who bet on him. His aunt was one of those people. That’s why it hit him so hard when she passed away. And that’s exactly what that Mustang represents.

Undoubtedly, those bets are paying off. He keeps growing, season after season. To put it in perspective: Jahmyr Gibbs racked up 1,412 rushing yards in 2024 (fifth in the NFL) and tied for the league lead with 16 rushing touchdowns, all while hauling in 52 catches for 517 receiving yards for the Lions. Yeah, he’s sure getting a lot more cars.