During a matchup against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on October 13, standout defensive end Aidan Hutchinson suffered a broken leg. While receiving treatment at the hospital, doctors informed him that returning in time for the Super Bowl was a possibility.
Throughout his recovery, Hutchinson remained focused on that goal, frequently expressing his desire to be back on the field for the championship game on February 8. Head coach Dan Campbell, when asked about the possibility, remained uncertain but acknowledged that if anyone could achieve such a rapid comeback, it would be Hutchinson.
However, due to the Lions’ playoff loss to the Washington Commanders, the question of whether he could have played in the Super Bowl will remain unanswered.
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, Hutchinson was asked if he truly believed playing in the Super Bowl was a realistic possibility.
“You never really know,” he responded. “Maybe I could have, maybe I couldn’t have. But the world will never find out. I feel great now, and rehab is nearly finished. After that, I’ll just move forward.”
Reflecting on his injury, he described the experience as brutal. “Breaking my tibia was an absolute nightmare,” he said. “I had to stay in the hospital in Dallas for a couple of days, and honestly, those were probably the worst days of my life.”
He admitted that the pain wasn’t the hardest part—it was the frustration of being sidelined and thinking about what might have been. “It was tough knowing what I could have contributed and what our team might have accomplished,” he said.
Despite the setback, Hutchinson remains optimistic about his future. “Next year will be my fourth season, so I’m still young and have a lot of great football ahead of me.”
