After losing the backup quarterback battle to Kyle Allen, Hendon Hooker was released by the Detroit Lions ahead of the 2025 season. It didn't take too long for him to find a new landing spot, signing with the Carolina Panthers' practice squad two days later.
The former third-round pick who didn't quite pan out in Detroit had an opportunity to revive his career. But through the first half of the season, that opportunity never came for Hooker, and on Sunday, things hit a new low for the 27-year-old signal-caller.
Hooker was elevated to the active roster for the first time after the Panthers' starting QB, Bryce Young, was set to miss their Week 8 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Longtime veteran quarterback Andy Dalton expectedly took the starting job, and Hooker was the backup.
After the Panthers finished the third quarter down 40-3, many thought that Hooker would make his season debut with Carolina. Instead, HC Dave Canales stuck with Dalton to finish the game, getting six points on the board to lose 40-9.
Panthers Clearly Don't Believe in Hendon Hooker
The fact that Hooker wasn't even considered an option in a game his team was down by 37 in the fourth quarter speaks volumes about where he is as a player. Dalton finished the game with 16 of 24 completions for 175 yards, an interception, and a 70.7 passer rating. He also took seven sacks and fumbled the ball twice as the Panthers finished the game with a total of 244 yards with 105 of these yards came in the meaningless final quarter. In the third quarter, the Panthers had a total of five plays for -8 yards, resulting in the lead going from 16 to 37 points.
Despite seeing all of that, Canales decided that he would rather watch the 37-year-old Dalton out there than give a shot to Hooker. A head coach could certainly believe that Dalton is the better QB. He is more experienced, proven, and has been with the team for much longer. That is completely understandable. Yet, wouldn't he also want to see Hooker in action so that he could make a more informed decision about who to start in Week 9?
Young's injury is not expected to be too serious, but Canales didn't give any details after the game about his status going forward. That means that it could be between Dalton and Hooker against the Green Bay Packers next week. Normally, after a performance like this, one would think that Hooker would have a chance to get his first-ever NFL start. Yet, it's clear that the Panthers organization doesn't believe in him, putting his future with the team in jeopardy.