News: Detroit Lions’ T.J. Hockenson undergoes season-ending surgery
By Tyler Kotila
The Detroit Lions are heading into Week 15 just trying to make it across the finish line for this season. Tight end T.J. Hockenson will be absent from this weekend’s matchup as well as the remainder of the year after he had to undergo surgery for a thumb injury.
While it was noted that Hockenson’s season-ending thumb surgery was successful, he will be on the sidelines for the rest of the season. He’s been one of the few bright spots for this putrid Detroit Lions offense during the 2021 season.
The Lions have needed all of the help they could get; Hockenson was a huge piece of the team’s offense, and missing him for the rest of the season takes another receiving option away from quarterback Jared Goff who has already been down to minimal options.
Hockenson logged 12 games for the Lions in 2021, where he would accumulate 61 receptions for 583 yards while hauling in four touchdowns. It’s a middle-ground compared to his other prior seasons, but it seems like he was on pace to have another great season and possibly surpass his totals from 2020.
Detroit Lions’ tight end T.J. Hockenson will miss the rest of the 2021 season.
It certainly sucks to have Hockenson missing out for the remainder of the year, but the Lions will have to make due. The Lions will likely turn to Shane Zylstra and Hunter Bryant as the weeks continue for the 2021 season winding down.
Bryant is on the reserve/non-football injury list but is still one of the team’s other options if he is able to return anytime soon. The Lions are already operating without several players who are on the reserve list.
The NFL has put the Lions in COVID-19 enhanced protocols given the team’s growing amount of positive cases.
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The Lions will surely miss out on Hockenson; it’s good to have clarity that he should be ready to go and back on the field in time for the 2022 season.