It’s been just under seven months since Aidan Hutchinson went down with a brutal leg injury against the Cowboys — but now, the Detroit Lions’ star pass rusher looks ready to roar again.
On Thursday, Impact Sports Performance dropped a video that should fire up Lions fans: Hutchinson was spotted at a practice facility sprinting on an incline treadmill, exploding out of his stance, and bending the edge like the beast we remember. A month ago at The Masters, Hutchinson had said he was in the final stages of rehab — clearly, he wasn’t kidding.
The Lions kicked off offseason workouts about a week ago, though it’s not clear if Hutchinson has joined in just yet. The bigger checkpoint will be the team’s Organized Team Activities (OTAs), which run May 28-30 and June 3-5. Even though OTAs are voluntary, they include on-field work like 7-on-7s and 9-on-9s, so seeing Hutchinson there would be a strong sign of his progress.
There’s also the matter of his contract. The Lions recently exercised his fifth-year option, locking him in through 2026, but GM Brad Holmes has made it clear they want to hammer out a longer-term deal. Whether that happens soon may hinge on how the market shakes out with stars like Micah Parsons and T.J. Watt. As Holmes put it, the Lions can’t control what those players do — they just have to stick to their plan.
One thing’s for sure: Hutchinson’s recovery is on track, and the Lions’ defense will be all the better for it when he’s back on the field.
Aidan Hutchinson Looks Nearly 100% in Impressive Training Video
