By Sunday 
You wouldn’t know it from how he’s flying around training camp, but Aidan Hutchinson is fresh off a broken leg. That’s right — Detroit’s star edge rusher, who missed the end of last season with a leg fracture, has bounced back with the kind of power, speed, and hunger that’s got the entire Lions camp buzzing.
“He’s Flying, Man”
Lions quarterback Jared Goff summed it up best after watching Hutchinson tear through drills:
“He looks like he’s flying, man… He looks good, he looks really good.”
And it’s not just locker room optimism. Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard backed that up, saying he sees an even better version of Hutchinson — call it Hutch 2.0 — in camp this year. That’s a bold claim for a guy who already posted 21 sacks in his first two seasons, not to mention leading the NFL in quarterback pressures last year.
Breaking His Leg, Not His Spirit
When the injury happened late last season, it could’ve been a confidence killer. Instead, Hutchinson used the rehab time as fuel. He leaned into film, focused on recovery, and returned with one goal in mind:
“I feel like a much better player than I was last year. I’m stronger, more explosive… I want to be Defensive Player of the Year.”
That kind of mindset is contagious. And in a Lions locker room that’s already stacked with young talent and big dreams for 2025, Hutchinson’s voice — and game — are louder than ever.
What’s Next?
Detroit’s defense is shaping up to be something special. With Hutchinson leading the charge, fresh faces in the secondary, and some key depth pieces added to the front seven, there’s real belief that this could be the year the Lions’ D finally turns heads.
Will Hutchinson hit the sack record? Will he be in the DPOY conversation come January?
One thing’s certain — the guy is back, he’s healthy, and he’s playing with purpose.