Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Lions' wide receiver, has expressed a complex mix of emotions regarding the recent trade of David Montgomery to the Houston Texans. While St. Brown is clearly upset about the loss of a talented teammate, he also understands the NFL's cutthroat nature and is genuinely happy for Montgomery's new opportunity.
In an interview on his podcast, St. Brown shared his thoughts on the situation, highlighting Montgomery's dedication to the team and his desire for more playing time. He believes that Montgomery, who was a workhorse running back for the Lions, deserves to be a starting running back and is now getting that chance with the Texans.
"I’m sick, selfishly. I’m sick because I love D-Mo," St. Brown said. "One of my favorite teammates. No matter what the situation was, we all knew that he wanted more carries and wanted to play more, he never made it about himself. He was always all about the team, which I know is hard sometimes, especially in his position. He’s an RB1 on 31 other teams. He’s damn near RB1 for us, but you got two guys, two really good running backs, only one running back can play, which kind of sucks. It’s kind of like a quarterback situation. Although running backs do rotate, only one running back plays. Whereas receiver, you can have two or three on the field. Selfishly, like I said, I’m upset but also I’m really happy for D-Mo because I know how much he wanted a bigger role in an offense and I think he’s going to have that in Houston."
St. Brown acknowledges the competitive nature of the NFL, where younger players often replace veterans. He recognizes that Montgomery's time as the starting running back was limited by the emergence of Jahmyr Gibbs, and the team's decision to trade Montgomery is a reflection of that reality. However, he also sees the trade as an opportunity for Montgomery to shine in a new environment.
"Lions players and coaches have spoken often about what a positive presence Montgomery is on a football team," St. Brown noted. "But the reality of life in the NFL is that when a younger player comes along and out-plays you, your days are numbered. That’s what happened to Montgomery when Gibbs emerged as the starting running back, and so he’s now on the way out."
In the end, St. Brown's mixed emotions reflect the complex dynamics of team sports. While he is sad to see Montgomery go, he also understands the need for change and is happy to see Montgomery get a fresh start in Houston.
