The way the Detroit Lions’ 2024 season ended still stings—but there’s a massive silver lining on the horizon: Aidan Hutchinson is back.
After breaking his leg in Week 6, the Lions’ star edge rusher was sidelined for the rest of the season. And while Detroit fought hard all the way into the playoffs, the defense just didn’t have the same bite without its top pass-rusher on the field.
Now? Hutchinson is healthy, motivated, and poised to make an even bigger impact than before.
According to Pro Football Focus, Hutch was on a historic pace before the injury. In less than five full games, he racked up 45 pressures, eight sacks, a 95.0 PFF pass-rush grade, and a ridiculous 38.3% pass-rush win rate. That’s not just elite—that’s record-breaking.
His absence explained a lot about the Lions’ defensive struggles late last season. But his return? That changes everything.
New defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard—who’s been with Hutchinson since Day One in Detroit—praised not just his performance, but his mentality. According to Sheppard, Hutch is the kind of player who doesn’t let success change him. He still shows up like a rookie, eager to learn, grinding in meetings, and asking to be coached hard.
That mindset is what has everyone in Allen Park buzzing. Hutchinson isn’t just trying to be great—he’s out to be the best.
If he picks up where he left off—or somehow levels up even further—the Lions might just have the most dangerous edge rusher in the league anchoring their defense.
And after how 2024 ended, that’s exactly the kind of fuel this team needs to make another deep run in 2025.
Hutchinson’s Comeback Could Be the Key to a Lions Super Bowl Run
