The Detroit Lions will finish the regular season without Aidan Hutchinson, though a winter return remains possible.
Hutchinson sustained a serious leg injury in last Sunday’s 47-9 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. After surgery in Texas for a fractured left tibia and fibula, the Lions placed the Pro Bowl edge rusher on injured reserve.
Head coach Dan Campbell projected a four-to-six-month recovery, which would seemingly conclude his 2024 season, yet he emphasized on Monday, “I would never count Hutch out.”
NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter reported positive news Saturday night, stating the fracture was a clean break with no ligament or nerve damage.
This development opens the possibility of Hutchinson returning for the Super Bowl on Feb. 9 if the Lions capture the NFC title. A source told Schefter it “would be more surprising if he did not make it back for a potential Super Bowl appearance than if he did.”
Considering the severity of Hutchinson’s injury, a potential Super Bowl return is promising. Even if he doesn’t make it back this season, this outlook is encouraging for his 2025 start.
Detroit has appeared as a formidable Super Bowl contender with Hutchinson leading the defense. The 24-year-old recorded an NFL-high 7.5 sacks through five games, guiding the 4-1 Lions.
According to Schefter, the Lions are exploring options to replace Hutchinson, including Cleveland Browns’ edge rusher Za’Darius Smith, ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline.
For any postseason hopes of seeing Hutchinson, the Lions need a deep playoff run. They’ll face a critical NFC North matchup against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
