The Detroit Lions had many surprising decisions in the weeks leading up to the 2025 season, and one of them was the release of quarterback Hendon Hooker. A third-round pick in the 2022 draft, many thought Hooker was a steal based on his collegiate career at Tennessee. But he never found his footing in the NFL and lost out on the backup quarterback job to Kyle Allen during training camp.
The departure created plenty of uncertainty for Hooker even after he signed with the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad. But although he didn’t play in the season-opening loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, it’s hard to imagine things going better for the 27-year-old as another opportunity could open up in the near future.
Bryce Young’s Struggles Could Give Hendon Hooker an Opportunity with Panthers
Bryce Young’s 2025 season debut came with a lot of hype after a strong finish to last season, but his struggles were one of the biggest storylines in the 26-10 loss to the Jaguars. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft completed just 18-of-35 passes for 154 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions on Sunday afternoon, and the performance included a pick-six that was called back because of defensive holding.
“I obviously can’t turn the ball over like that,” Young said via ESPN’s David Newton. “It cost the team. I have to be better than that.”
While there were plenty of other issues, such as an unsuccessful conversion attempt on a 4th-and-1 from the Jacksonville 5-yard line early in the third quarter, the struggles put Young back into the microscope.
Young finished the season strong after being benched in Week 3 last season, completing 61.8% of his passes for 2,104 yards, 15 touchdowns, and six interceptions after returning to his starting role in Week 8. The performance inspired some optimism heading into 2025, with Dave Canales as head coach and emerging skill players Chuba Hubbard, Xavier Legette, and Jalen Coker returning, and 2025 first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan was added to the group.
But the Panthers had just 255 yards of total offense on Sunday and an anemic 142 passing yards in the loss to the Jaguars. While Young was able to run for 40 yards on five carries, the Panthers need him to make strides as a passer, and time may be running out as he enters his third year.
Carolina’s current backup is Andy Dalton, but he’s not a long-term answer at the position. While he would get the first crack to relieve Young, the Panthers would also want to see what they have in Hooker, who completed 68.8% of his passes for 6,080 yards, 58 touchdowns, and five interceptions in his two seasons with the Volunteers.
The Lions weren’t able to have that success translate to the NFL, but like many coaches, Canales may believe he’s the one who can revive Hooker’s career. It leads to a promising development in Week 1 that could help the former Detroit QB get back on track.