The expectations for the Detroit Lions are high going into the 2025-2026 season. A 15-2 regular season marred by a disappointing loss in the playoffs to the upstart Washington Commanders has Lions fans counting the days until the new season begins. One of the biggest reasons for the upset in the playoffs last year, as well as the lofty expectations for this upcoming season, is a single player.
That player is former Michigan Wolverine legend Aidan Hutchinson. Hutchinson was headed for an NFL Defensive Player of the Year-type season before succumbing to a broken leg. Following that injury, the Lions' defense experienced an unprecedented string of injuries on the defensive side of the ball. With Aidan sidelined, the heart of the Lions' defense was missing. They fought valiantly to overcome the injuries and secured a 1-seed in the playoffs. In the end, the injuries caught up, and the Lions bowed out in the first round of the NFL playoffs.
Hutchinson recently shared a video on his Instagram running 10-yard splits. He was sprinting with no leg braces or sleeves and looked incredibly fast and explosive. His mother pointed out that his 10-yard split in the video was markedly quicker than what he ran in the NFL Combine before his draft day.
At the combine, Hutchinson ran a 1.62-second 10-yard split. In the video, he posted that his 10-yard split time was an incredible 1.49 seconds. Aidan looks as explosive as I have ever seen him, harkening back to that astonishing performance against Ohio State in The Big House when he was completely unstoppable, bull-rushing Buckeye linemen. The heart of the Lions' defense is back, and he looks to be out for revenge.
Aidan Hutchinson vs Ohio State: 3 Sacks & 15 pressures (2021) #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/qNt0cQ35BU
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) April 1, 2023
