Aidan Hutchinson Achieves Key Milestone in Recovery from Broken Leg
The Detroit Lions’ defense has faced a series of injuries recently, with linebacker Malcolm “Rodrigo” Rodriguez suffering a torn ACL during the Thanksgiving Day game against the Bears, among other setbacks. Earlier this season, the team lost their top defensive player, Aidan Hutchinson, to a broken leg. Since then, the former Michigan Wolverines standout and second overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft has been focused on rehabilitation.
On Thursday, sports reporter Tracy Wolfson shared an encouraging update on Hutchinson’s recovery, which had been somewhat overlooked amid the attention on the Bears’ late-game collapse. Wolfson revealed that Hutchinson had reached a significant milestone in his rehab by arriving at the game without crutches for the first time. This news raised hope that, should the Lions make it to Super Bowl LIX, Hutchinson might be able to return to the field.
Wolfson noted on social media: “Good news for his recovery… Hutch arrived (Thursday) to the game without crutches for the first time! If #Lions make the Super Bowl, there’s a chance for his return!”
Despite missing nearly half the season, Hutchinson still ranks 14th in the NFL with 7.5 sacks, trailing only slightly behind the league leader, Trey Hendrickson, who has 15. New Lions defensive addition, Za’Darius Smith, has also been productive with seven sacks, just half a sack fewer than Hutchinson.
