The movement continues. In yet another defiant and inspiring moment, Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery has joined the growing list of NFL stars rejecting massive offers from Elon Musk — this time, walking away from $87 million.

Montgomery posted a video on Instagram and X just after sunrise, standing on the roof of Detroit’s historic Michigan Central Station. With the city skyline behind him, he spoke softly into the camera:

“Elon, I grew up knowing what it means to have nothing. You can’t buy my purpose. Keep the $87 million — and maybe put it toward clean water in Jackson or housing in Detroit. Peace.”

Then, in true Motor City fashion, he put on a pair of work gloves and walked off camera into a Habitat for Humanity construction site — live, with local volunteers cheering in the background.

The internet erupted — again.

A $400M+ Rejection Movement

With Micah Parsons ($150M), Christian McCaffrey ($74M), Jordan Love ($187M), and now David Montgomery ($87M) all turning down Musk’s increasingly lucrative offers, this week has transformed into something more than a sports headline — it’s becoming a cultural moment.

The total sum of rejections now exceeds $498 million.

What Was the Offer For?

Sources say Montgomery was offered $87 million for a multi-year campaign tied to Musk’s upcoming platform “Life Beyond Limits” — a hybrid of fitness tech, AI-based training systems, and off-world performance modeling (allegedly preparing the first Martian Olympic Games simulation by 2030).

Musk reportedly viewed Montgomery as the “grit and grind” ambassador of the campaign — a rags-to-riches story perfect for inspiring middle America.

Montgomery had other plans.

“I never dreamed of being a billboard for billionaires,” he said later in a statement released by his foundation. “I dreamed of changing the lives of kids who grew up like me — who need hope more than hype.”

Detroit Reacts — And So Does the World

Detroit’s own Mayor Carla Hampton reposted the video with this caption:

“Montgomery is more than a Lion — he’s a leader. Detroit stands with you.”

NFL players across the league responded with fire emojis, applause, and in some cases, pledges to match Montgomery’s values.

J. Cole shared the video to his 20 million followers with the words: “This is the real MVP energy.”

Meanwhile, debate raged across social media:

“Rejecting Elon Musk is now more viral than any endorsement deal.”
“Is this the moral awakening of modern athletes?”
“Or just elite PR stunts by men who can afford to say no?”

Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro weighed in:

“Montgomery’s message is misguided. Take the money and do good with it. Don’t just posture.”

But fans flooded Montgomery’s feed with praise, calling him “a true king of the people,” and memes of “$87M? Nah.” began spreading like wildfire.

Where’s Musk?

Still no official response from Elon Musk after four public rejections in less than a week. Rumors swirl that internal teams at X and SpaceX are re-evaluating all athlete marketing partnerships. Some speculate a new spokesperson — perhaps outside of sports — will be announced to “reset the narrative.”

One leaked Slack message from within Neuralink, posted anonymously on Reddit, read simply:

“We were warned the culture was shifting. We didn’t listen.”

Final Word from Montgomery

Later that evening, Montgomery posted a photo of the construction site where he’d spent the day, holding a shovel with local teens.

His caption?

“Impact > income. Legacy > luxury. This is how we build something real.”