When the Detroit Lions took Hendon Hooker in the third round of the 2023 draft, they were hoping that, once healthy, he would become the clear-cut backup behind Jared Goff.Â
Hooker spent his entire rookie season on injured reserve as he recovered from a torn left ACL injury that he suffered in college. When he finally got healthy, Detroit did not have faith in his ability to be a competent backup QB, which led to Teddy Bridgewater’s return in 2024 during the playoffs. Ultimately, Hooker was cut last summer after losing out to Kyle Allen for the QB2 job.
No one predicted that Hooker’s career would take this trajectory, especially with how he finished his collegiate tenure, and the idea that, as an older prospect, he wouldn’t have a huge learning curve. But that hasn’t happened yet for Hooker, who has bounced around the league since Detroit parted ways, and is currently sitting at a crossroads as a professional football player.
Former Lions QB Hendon Hooker’s Career Keeps Trending Downward
After the Lions sent the former third-round pick packing, Hooker didn’t have to wait long for his next opportunity as he was signed to the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad. It appeared to be a good move for Hooker, who would get the chance to further his development without having the pressure of being the backup to Andy Dalton.
However, Hooker’s time didn’t last long in Carolina, as the Panthers released him at the start of November. From there, Hooker waited a little over a month before he was signed to the New York Jets’ practice squad in December.
Hooker didn’t see any snaps with the Jets despite being elevated from the practice squad in Week 17 of the regular season. New York didn’t have anything to play for at that point, so in theory, the former Lion could’ve found his way onto the field.
But the Jets rolled with undrafted free agent Brady Cook, instead, who didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard, but it was still a good experience for him nonetheless. As for Hooker, there was still a question mark on what’s next in his career.
The ex-Lions quarterback ended his time with the Jets as an exclusive free agent, which means New York could bring him back on a one-year deal at the league minimum. It would also keep Hooker from negotiating with other teams.
However, it appears the Jets have no interest in continuing their partnership with Hooker, considering that they traded for veteran Geno Smith, in addition to having Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe on the 90-man roster.
As we get deeper into free agency, the opportunities will slowly start to dry up for the ex-Lions signal caller. Maybe he gets a rookie minicamp invite from a team after the draft to show what he can do, but the optics aren’t looking great for him.
Hooker could also consider taking the spring football route, as the UFL is kicking off this week. It's a path that Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who was in the same position as Hooker, is taking to hopefully get back on track.
The UFL would afford Hooker reps and game tape to show that he can be a competent NFL quarterback. That’s what he needs at this moment because the last time we saw him in a game with the Lions, it wasn’t great.