Detroit Lions superstar pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson said the one thing Lions fans wanted to hear on Thursday.
“I’m fully cleared,” Hutchinson said during his media availability. Hutchinson broke his tibia and fibula during the Lions’ Week 6 win over the Dallas Cowboys and ended what was shaping up to be a Defensive Player of the Year campaign.
“I got cleared a while back, and I’m rolling with the boys now and it feels like I’m back to being myself again,” Hutchinson said. “I think this is the most excited I’ve been for OTAs in my life.”
The former Michigan Wolverine is entering his fourth season since the Lions took him with the No. 2 overall pick in 2022. Despite some hope that he’d be able to make a comeback for a potential Super Bowl run last season, Hutchinson missed the remainder of the 2024-25 season with what is the most significant injury he’s had in his short career.
“This is the biggest hiatus I’ve had without playing ball so I’m pumped,” he said. “It was a tough rehab and I feel like now that I’m on the other side of it, looking back you’re kind of grateful for those experiences because it forms you into the person you are today.”
The Lions desperately missed Hutchinson’s presence through the end of last season as injuries mounted across their defense. Their lack of pass rush down the stretch ultimately proved too much to overcome by the time they faced a dual-threat quarterback in Washington’s Jayden Daniels in the Divisional round of the playoffs.
Despite names like Myles Garrett and Trey Hendrickson becoming available this offseason, the Lions chose not to make a splashy transaction to pair with Hutchinson and instead opted to sign short-term deals with veterans and add defensive line depth in the draft.
“I still believe that I’m going to continue to push for those greater heights,” Hutchinson said Thursday. “I’m 24, I’m still a young dude… I don’t think [last season] is the peak.”
The Lions wrap up OTAs in the next couple of weeks and are skipping mandatory minicamp as they ramp up to training camp to prepare for the Hall of Fame game to open the preseason.