Before the Detroit Lions squared off against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football to close out Week 3, ESPN’s Adam Schefter made an eye-catching claim. During Monday Night Countdown, Schefter reported that Detroit had reached out to the NFL to raise concerns about how star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was being blocked by opposing teams.
“The Detroit Lions have made it known to the league office that they’re keeping an eye on how Aidan Hutchinson is being blocked,” Schefter said, per Lions on SI. “It doesn’t necessarily guarantee his protection, but the team wants the league to take notice of certain plays that have drawn attention.”
As the broadcast rolled some replays showing low hits on Hutchinson, Schefter added more context.
“He’s coming off a fractured tibia and fibula,” Schefter continued. “In the first two games, it looked like opponents were targeting his lower body, so much so that the Lions decided to alert the league. Watch the Green Bay game closely—you’ll see how defenders are attacking his legs.”
Former NFL lineman and ESPN analyst Marcus Spears weighed in on the situation, acknowledging that while the tactic is risky, it’s still part of the game.
“It’s unfortunate, especially given Hutchinson’s injury history,” Spears said. “I’ve never been a fan of cut blocks—they should’ve been banned years ago for safety reasons. But it’s still a legal football move. Tight ends aren’t going to go head-to-head with a pass rusher like that; they’re coached to get him on the ground.”
Dan Campbell Fires Back: “That’s Bogus.”
When Lions head coach Dan Campbell met with reporters ahead of Detroit’s Week 6 primetime matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, he didn’t mince words when Hutchinson’s name came up.
“He’s in that elite category where nothing comes easy,” Campbell said. “He’s got to fight through nudges, chips from running backs, tackles leaning on him—sometimes even double or triple teams. If that’s what it takes, someone else on our line should be capitalizing on it.”
The conversation then turned to Schefter’s report from earlier in the season—but Campbell cut off the question before it was even finished.
“That’s bogus,” Campbell snapped. “That’s a bogus report. Nobody from this building ever went to the league about that. It’s complete bull. The game’s played a certain way—that’s how it goes. We don’t complain about how other teams block us. We handle our business and play through it.”
It’s unusual that the topic resurfaced weeks after the initial ESPN report, but Campbell’s blunt response made his stance crystal clear. The Lions’ coach doesn’t appreciate what he considers to be a false narrative, and he wasted no time setting the record straight.
While Hutchinson continues to face double-teams and creative blocking schemes designed to neutralize him, Detroit isn’t crying foul. As long as opponents stay within the rules, Campbell’s Lions are content to let their play do the talking.
