By Mummy Grace The Detroit Lions are entering the 2025 season with high expectations, and one player could be the key to pushing them over the top. After two straight playoff appearances — and two frustrating exits — the team is chasing more than just division titles. They’re eyeing the Super Bowl.
The name everyone’s talking about? Aidan Hutchinson.
Pro Football Focus analyst Dalton Wasserman recently highlighted Hutchinson as the reason for optimism in Detroit this year. And honestly, it’s hard to argue. Before his season-ending injury in Week 6 last year, Hutchinson was dominating. He led the entire NFL in pressures (45), had eight sacks, and was grading out as one of the league’s best pass rushers — all in less than six full games.
Wasserman called his 38.3% pass-rush win rate “incredible” and said Hutchinson’s absence was the biggest reason Detroit’s pass rush dropped off late in the year. If Hutch returns to form, the entire defense could look different — and a lot more dangerous.
With the Lions reloading despite the departure of both coordinators, getting Hutchinson back is like adding a superstar free agent without spending a dime. He’s not just a difference-maker — he changes the outlook for the whole defense.
Elsewhere around the league, a few teams could sneak up on people. Wasserman also pointed out the Bengals, Cowboys, Colts, 49ers, and Seahawks as underrated heading into the new season. (Although let’s be real — calling the 49ers “underrated” feels like a stretch.)
Either way, if Hutchinson is healthy and ready to roll in September, don’t be surprised if this is finally the year Detroit makes that long-awaited leap to the Super Bowl.
