By Moses Joshua 
Detroit’s defensive star offers rare praise for a division rival—and it’s not what Lions fans wanted to hear.
For the first time since 2022, the Detroit Lions are watching the postseason from home. That alone is enough to sting. What makes it worse is who’s still playing football in January: the Chicago Bears—Detroit’s most bitter rival—now led by former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and powered by a rapidly improving Caleb Williams.
As Bears momentum grows, Lions star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson delivered comments this week that hit a nerve across the fan base. His honesty was refreshing. His message, however, was unsettling.
Hutchinson Sees the Growth Up Close
Hutchinson knows quarterbacks. More specifically, he knows how they move, panic, and break under pressure. That’s why his assessment of Williams carries weight—because it comes from the perspective of someone tasked with chasing him down.
“I probably missed two or three sacks on him this year, which hurts so bad,” Hutchinson admitted. “If you are the first one running in, that’s where it’s the hardest because he’s got the spin out, he’s very quick. He’s so tough to defend, but I really think [Williams has] grown in Ben [Johnson]’s system too, especially as the year gone on.”
That growth didn’t happen by accident. Hutchinson pointed directly to Johnson’s influence and the structure of the Bears’ offense.
“Ben is a very progression system. It’s evolved. It’s very high-level offense, and I think as the year has progressed, he’s really gotten a grasp of the offense in a great way.”
For Lions fans, hearing their defensive cornerstone praise both a rival quarterback and a former coordinator was a double gut punch.
A Problem the Lions Didn’t Want to Have
If Williams is becoming harder to sack, harder to confuse, and harder to contain, that’s bad news for the rest of the NFC North. Hutchinson’s words suggest this isn’t just a hot streak—it’s real development.
And if anyone would notice that shift, it’s Hutchinson. His job is to disrupt timing and force mistakes. What he’s describing instead is a quarterback who has learned how to survive chaos, extend plays, and punish aggressive defenses.
That’s not the version of Chicago football Detroit fans are used to.
A Shifting NFC North Landscape
The Lions dominated the division in 2023 and 2024, establishing themselves as the team to beat. But 2025 disrupted that order. Chicago exceeded expectations, found consistency, and—most painfully—figured out how to win close games.
Still, there is a sliver of comfort Detroit fans can cling to: even during Chicago’s best season in years, the Lions swept them head-to-head. Playoff appearances matter, but divisional control still counts for something.
That said, the bigger picture is impossible to ignore. The Bears appear to have found stability at quarterback, clarity on offense, and belief throughout the roster.
And that’s not a fun reality for Detroit.
Looking Ahead With Uneasy Optimism
Lions fans are hoping 2025 was the exception, not the beginning of a trend. Hutchinson remains elite. The core is still strong. And Detroit has every reason to believe it can rebound in 2026.
But Hutchinson’s admission serves as a warning more than a compliment. Caleb Williams is no longer just potential. He’s becoming a problem.
And until proven otherwise, the NFC North just got a lot more complicated.