The Detroit Lions and their fans cannot wait to see star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson back on the field this upcoming season. The former second overall pick has established himself as one of the premier pass rushers in the game and a force to be reckoned with every week.
Last season, Hutchinson got off to a ridiculous start, recording 27 quarterback pressures, 17 QB hits, and 7.5 sacks in five games. However, Hutchinson had his 2024 season abruptly cut short in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys due to a fractured tibia and fibula.
It was a monumental loss for Detroit’s defense, as the young defensive end was putting himself in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year. Hutchinson’s season-ending leg injury was one of the many injuries the Lions dealt with in 2024, which ultimately hurt them in the playoffs as their depth was taxed.
Since Detroit’s season ended in January, a couple of positive updates have emerged regarding Hutchinson’s rehab and recovery. In February, the former University of Michigan standout was seen running a sprint, bringing a smile to Lions fans.
On Friday, a new video emerged on Instagram from the House of Hutch account, which showed the young edge rusher running from the 20-yard line in a full sprint almost down the practice field to the other 20-yard line.
The video was captioned with, "Feelin like myself again." As you can imagine, Lions fans in the comments were excited to see Hutchinson showing off that burst that made him one of the best off the edge in his first two years in the league.
After seeing how things played out last season in the Motor City, the Lions will need a healthy Hutchinson to win the NFC North again and grab one of the top-two seeds in the NFC.
The NFC is improving as teams look to dethrone the reigning Super Bowl champion, the Philadelphia Eagles. The same can be said for the NFC North, which saw former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson named the new head coach of the Chicago Bears, who could give the Lions trouble this upcoming season.