Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell made it clear Monday that he expects better from backup quarterback Hendon Hooker while explaining his reason for benching him early in his preseason start against the Atlanta Falcons.
Before Monday’s practice, Campbell revealed that the Lions had originally planned on waiting until the second half against the Falcons to play veteran quarterback Kyle Allen, but they decided to bring him in sooner because of Hooker’s issues with ball security.
Hooker turned the ball over twice in four drives of action, losing both of his fumbles.
“Just turning the ball over,” Campbell said Monday about why the Lions pulled Hooker out of the game early. “Because look, Hooker made some good throws before. He was doing some things, but we’ve got to get more work taking care of the ball. If you decide you’re a runner, you’ve got to tuck it away, man — like any runner does. Two hands on the ball in the pocket when you go to step up. It’s all the fundamentals that we talk about. We just need more work at that, and then he’ll get to play.”
Kyle Allen Gained Ground in Lion Quarterback Battle
Hooker — a 2023 third-round pick — has been vying with Allen for the top backup job behind starter Jared Goff, but he didn’t help his case in his start against the Falcons.
Hooker completed 7-of-10 passes in his four drives for the Lions, but he finished with just 38 passing yards and had only one completion longer than 10 yards. While he also added 27 yards as a scrambler, his two lost fumbles undermined his success there.
Meanwhile, Allen went 7-of-8 passing for 120 yards and two touchdowns in his action against the Falcons, delivering a performance that helped distinguish him from Hooker in the No. 2 quarterback battle and left Campbell feeling “fired up” about his ability.
“Kyle played really well, man,” Campbell said Monday. “I was fired up. I mean, that was outstanding. He wasn’t going to play until the second half, and then we get him in there so it’s kind of like, ‘Hey, man, you’re up.’ And he’s, ‘OK, I’ve got to be ready to go now.’ He gets out there and immediately gives us a boost. Runs the offense, makes two huge throws on the first drive he’s in there, and I thought he was on point with the checks, the kills, the motion landmarks — the whole thing, man. He operated the offense at a high level and made big-time throws, so I was fired up.”
Will Hendon Hooker Make the Cut for Lions in 2025?
Hooker is not out of the running for the Lions’ top backup job just yet. He has an ability that attracted the Lions enough to invest a Day 2 draft pick in him just two offseasons ago, and they will want to give him every chance to earn his keep as the No. 2 in camp.
If Allen has decisively won the No. 2 job at the end of camp, though, could the Lions consider leaving Hooker off their initial 53-man roster and moving on altogether?
The Lions do not have much of a financial reason to move on from Hooker. According to Over the Cap, he will cost roughly $1.56 million against the cap in 2025, a negligible amount for a backup at the game’s most important position. The bigger determining factor will be how they feel about his developmental potential after the preseason.
If the Lions believe Allen is the better choice behind Goff but are not yet ready to give up on Hooker’s developmental potential, they could keep three quarterbacks on their 2025 roster and stay patient with him. He may be a third-year player at this point, but he spent his entire rookie season recovering from an ACL injury he suffered in college.
If the rest of the preseason tells the Lions they made a mistake with Hooker, though, he could end up on the chopping block — or, at the very least, the trade block.
