Getty
Amid the lows of the Detroit Lions’ season, there were also highs, and one was having Aidan Hutchinson back on the field.
Aidan Hutchinson and the Detroit Lions are officially in the offseason, but they’re still working to prepare for the 2026-27 NFL season. Considering that the team didn’t even get to the playoffs during their 2025-26 run, the Lions and new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing have their work cut out for them.
The Detroit Lions wrapped up their season with a 9-8 record and the bottom spot in the NFC North. Just last season, they were No. 1 in the NFC and NFC North, so it was a stark contrast to where they were when Ben Johnson was offensive coordinator.
But, amid the lows of the Lions’ season, there were also highs. One of those highs was having Hutchinson back after suffering a season-ending injury during the 2024-25 season.
While there are always questions and concerns when a player comes back after injury, Hutchinson really put those to rest with his stellar season performance. He closed out the 2-25-26 season with 54 total tackles, 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and one interception over 17 games. His number of sacks at 14.5 put him at No. 4 in the NFL, according to ESPN research. He was also No. 1 in the league for all edge defenders with 100 pressures, according to NFL research and logs.
Aidan Hutchinson News From the Detroit Lions
So, there’s reason for the Detroit Lions and Hutchinson to celebrate during the offseason. On Tuesday, February 17, the team took to social media to honor Hutchinson. The team posted a recap of Hutchinson with the caption, “The best moments from Aidan Hutchinson’s All-Pro season,” and also celebrated his rich stats from the season.
“All-Pro Hutch led the league with 100 pressures in the regular season,” Pro Football Focus stated on the post. “He’s going to be even better next season,” another said.
So, even with the negatives from the season, Hutchinson and the Detroit Lions are having fun and celebrating what went right. They’re going to need the strength of Hutch as they try to bounce back from this disappointing season.
NFL Pass-Rusher Statistics After the 2025 Regular Season
On January 7, Ryan Smith of Pro Football Focus shared the publication’s pass-rusher rankings for the full 2025-26 season. They have Hutchinson in a respectable spot.
Smith’s highlights included Myles Garrett finishing out another elite season. “His 93.3 PFF pass-rush grade topped the league, and he secured his record-breaking 23rd sack of the season in Week 18 for good measure,” he notes in the piece.
Smith adds that, “Abdul Carter lived up to his draft billing: The top-five draft pick was a top-15 pass rusher overall in his rookie campaign, and his 90.1 PFF pass-rush grade from Weeks 13-18 tied him with Myles Garrett for the second-highest mark in the NFL.”
Smith continues, “We know that quarterback is the most important position on the field, but a great pass rush is the ultimate equalizer. Pressure disrupts timing, rhythm and accuracy, something only the elite quarterbacks can consistently overcome.”
So, where does he have Hutch? He’s No. 3, with a PFF Pass Rush Grade of 92.2. That’s something to give him bragging rights. Micah Parsons is No. 2, and Garrett is No. 1.
Anne Erickson is an award-winning reporter for Heavy Sports covering the NFL, NBA and college football. Anne Erickson has years of experience covering the NFL and additional sports, and her work has been published via ESPN, Fox Sports and more. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in sports, including Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. Erickson also hosts several podcasts and is a Detroit-based radio host. More about Anne Erickson
More Heavy on Lions
Loading more stories