When the Green Bay Packers pulled off a blockbuster deal to land Micah Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys, the football world lit up. Parsons didn’t just arrive in Wisconsin—he showed up with a $186 million contract extension and expectations to change the balance of power in the division.
But don’t forget about Aidan Hutchinson.
The Detroit Lions’ star pass rusher is back from a brutal 2024 injury that limited him to just five games, and he hasn’t forgotten the chatter around Parsons. Asked about the Packers’ new defensive centerpiece, Hutchinson made it clear he knows what’s at stake.
“It’s been a big year for D-ends. It’s been a big year for the market,” Hutchinson told The Athletic.
Translation? Parsons’ record-breaking deal may have reset the bar—but Hutchinson is watching closely, with his own big payday on the horizon.
The Lions already picked up Hutchinson’s $19.7 million fifth-year option for 2026, but the 25-year-old knows a monster 2025 season could put him in position for a megadeal of his own. And what better way to kick things off than facing the guy who just stole all the headlines?
Hutchinson hasn’t suited up against the Packers since his injury last October, when Detroit still swept Green Bay without him. Now, with Parsons wearing green and gold, the Lions’ defensive cornerstone finally gets his shot to remind everyone whose name belongs at the top of the NFC North pass-rusher conversation.
Week 1. Lions. Packers. Hutchinson vs. Parsons. Buckle up.
