Faith, patience and support are fueling the running back’s return to the Lions’ active roster

ALLEN PARK – From the way the coaching staff talks about his work ethic to the way his teammates treat him in the locker room, it’s obvious that Jermar Jefferson is highly regarded within the Detroit Lions organization.

Jefferson was selected by the Lions in the seventh round in 2021 and has remained with the organization ever since – albeit primarily on the practice squad – despite the changes in the Lions’ running back room in recent seasons.

His inactivity changed last Sunday against the Chicago Bears. With David Montgomery sidelined with an MCL injury, the fourth-year back was promoted to the active roster for backfield depth and saw his first regular season action since his rookie year.

“It felt great. It’s been a while,” Jefferson told MLive. “I remember coming out there and telling them, ‘Man, I’m back!’ My energy and I were just excited to be back on the field.

“I was excited. I was looking forward to the (Bears) game before I stepped on the field…hopefully I made a good film.”

Against the Bears, Jefferson had a solid performance in limited play and showcased his versatility. Jefferson saw 19 snaps between offense and special teams. He finished the day with three carries for 13 yards and one catch for 10 yards.

Although he wasn’t with Jefferson the entire time in Detroit, Lions running backs coach Scottie Montgomery compared Jefferson to a heavyweight boxer waiting for his chance when discussing the team’s strength at the position. Montgomery praised Jefferson’s work ethic earlier this week, telling MLive that he was happy with what he saw from him when he got his chance to play.

“I mean, we’re really happy with the things we’ve seen so far. We believe he is an all-rounder,” Montgomery said. “We can obviously let him run, we can throw him the ball out of the backfield, but the biggest thing is he didn’t get a lot of reps with our starting unit. But when he gets in there, he doesn’t miss a thing, man.

“So that’s a big deal when a guy can’t do a lot of reps, come in, understand protection and understand the run game. But he’s been doing this for a long time, so we weren’t surprised at all.”

The words Montgomery said about Jefferson were everything the 24-year-old Los Angeles native wanted. He didn’t care where the Lions placed him or how he was used. For him, he just knew in his heart that he belonged on the field.

And he always believed he would one day showcase his skills again in a Lions uniform.

“I just had to stay patient. I prayed,” Jefferson said. “I’m very close to God, so I kept coming here, kept coming to work, put my head down and got to work, just waiting patiently. This is what I have learned throughout this entire process over the last three years: patience is key.”

Maintaining this mindset presented some challenges that Jefferson had to deal with, as not seeing the field wasn’t easy. Not only did Jefferson have a strong and loyal faith in a higher power, but he also relied on a solid support system.

First, his family was in his corner, sharing, “They’re the ones that keep me sane.” He spoke regularly with his mother, Tracy Green, and daily with his father, Herb Jefferson, who played football at Sonoma State.

But another tool available to Jefferson that some players aren’t typically open about was therapy. He shared that during his first two years with the Lions, he met with team psychologist Dr. Met Michelle Garvin.

“I stood by Dr. Garvin very close. I met with her a lot and just talked about things on the field and off the field,” Jefferson said. “I feel like she helped me mentally throughout the whole process.

“And especially the previous coaches who used to be here, like Duce (Staley) – and also Scottie – helped a lot. I still talk to my college coach (Michael Pitre), the (Atlanta) Falcons running backs coach. So I talk to him a lot and he just says, ‘Stay patient and be ready whenever the opportunity arises.'”

As he prepared for this opportunity, Jefferson sought to learn all the intricacies of the Lions’ offense, from passing to pass defense, and not just running the way Staley or Montgomery wanted him to. Jefferson knew the Lions’ coaching staff preached a “next man up” mentality and took his training representatives seriously.

The work he’s put in over four years will have another chance to shine when the Lions face the 49ers in the second leg of last season’s NFC title game. With Montgomery still out of action, Jefferson — along with Craig Reynolds — is expected to see snaps to relieve starter Jahmyr Gibbs.

“I’m really excited about this game,” Jefferson said. “Monday night is my first time playing in prime time, so that will be exciting. All I know is that I’m going to have the most positive energy on Monday night.”

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