**Lions Backing Hendon Hooker — But He’s Gotta Earn It**
The Lions had big dreams for Hendon Hooker when they drafted him in the third round back in 2023 — some even thought he could eventually take over for Jared Goff. But fast forward to now, and things have definitely shifted.
Goff has turned things around in Detroit, proving himself as a Top 10 quarterback after an up-and-down run with the Rams. He even locked in a massive four-year, \$212 million deal. That left Hooker stuck as QB2 — and even that spot isn’t totally secure.
Detroit brought in veteran Kyle Allen this offseason to compete for the backup job. But according to SI’s Christian Booher, Hooker is expected to win the battle and stay on as Goff’s backup, with Allen likely getting cut before the season starts.
Booher says Hooker will have plenty of chances to prove himself in preseason games and joint practices. And despite Allen’s experience, Hooker’s upside could win out. The Lions still believe in his potential, especially after some solid preseason flashes last year.
To be fair, Allen does have more on-field time under his belt — 31 games, 19 starts, nearly 5,000 passing yards, and a decent 62.7% completion rate. But Hooker’s got youth, talent, and momentum on his side.
Lions GM Brad Holmes made it clear in April: they still like Hooker a lot, but nothing is being handed to him. He missed most of his rookie season recovering from a torn ACL, then got bumped last year when the team brought in Teddy Bridgewater for their playoff push.
Now, with a one-year, \$1.3 million deal going to Allen, the pressure’s on. Holmes didn’t sugarcoat it: “If Hendon wants to be the No. 2 quarterback, then win the No. 2 quarterback job.”
Bottom line: the Lions still believe in Hooker, but he’s gotta show up and take the job. No freebies here.
Lions Lookin’ to Cut Ties with Their Veteran Signal Caller
