By Blessing 
Aidan Hutchinson’s road back from a broken leg has officially come to an end. The Detroit Lions defensive end, who saw his 2024 season cut short after just five games, revealed in May that he’s been fully cleared to return — a major milestone following months of rehab.
Recently, Hutchinson joined the With the First Pick podcast, where he was asked whether going through the rehabilitation process affected how prepared he feels heading into the upcoming season compared to previous years.
“I’m exactly where I need to be,” Hutchinson responded confidently. “Every year I’ve been able to improve on my own physical attributes along with the mental ones, so I feel like every year I take a step. Despite having that rehab this offseason, I feel like I’m in the perfect spot and exactly where I need to be going into Year 4.”
Although Hutchinson is now eligible to negotiate a contract extension, nothing has been signed just yet. But if he proves he’s still the same dominant force — or even better — after the injury, he’ll likely put himself in a strong position for a major deal in the near future.
For now, he’s focused on proving he hasn’t lost a step.