If there is one thing Aidan Hutchinson accomplished in his young NFL career, it is to turn heads. The Detroit Lions star didn’t waste any time proving his team correct for choosing him.
Aidan Hutchinson’s rookie season out-produced what many pass rushers would call their best season ever.
The Detroit Lions star earned 9.5 sacks and three interceptions, a statistical mashup rarely seen at the position in NFL history.
His 2023 season was also impressive, earning 11.5 sacks and an interception. The back-to-back showing led to lots of Hutchinson hype going into 2024. Now, in 2025, the Hutchinson hype train appears to be building back up.
However, is the hype strong enough for Jared Goff’s biggest defensive star to get a new deal?
Devin McCourty delivers Aidan Hutchinson recommendation
Speaking on an April 8 edition of “Pro Football Talk,” former Patriots star Devin McCourty expressed whether Aidan Hutchinson had done enough to earn a new payday. He also explored the ripple effects such a move might have on the Detroit Lions.
“I think everyone knew he was going to work his butt off and get back healthy as soon as soon as he could. The thing for me, for Aidan Hutchinson, now, as we watch that video, is he’s kind of what Detroit wants to embody. He is that. So how long do they wait?” he said.
“For Aidan Hutchinson, to me, he’s just so Detroit, and this is a time right now for Detroit, of you’ve lost players. You’ve lost like damn near half of your coaching staff,” he added.
“You lost so many guys, it might be a good feeling around there to get a guy like Aidan Hutchinson signed long term, to get everybody believing in what they do even more, coming off of a tough year where I think a lot of people had the expectation that they would be in a Super Bowl,” he concluded.
Hutchinson was part of a slew of defensive players who couldn’t finish the season. It’s because of the health issues of the unit that the Lions came up short in the playoffs. However, how well did his production line up in the end?
How Aidan Hutchinson’s 2024 production fared
The Lions pass rusher played just five games, but did enough to produce a season’s worth of work. Hutchinson logged 7.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and 12 tackles.
According to ESPN analytics, the pass rusher tied with players like Maxx Crosby, Rashan Gary, and Byron Young for 36th in total sacks.
It is worth noting that Crosby just signed on the dotted line of a three-year, $106.5 million deal (Spotrac). As such, as a player going into his fourth season, signing Hutchinson seems like a solid idea.
Justin Jefferson was missed roughly half the season in 2023, logging 1000 yards. The Vikings paid him, and he went on to produce 1533 yards and ten touchdowns in 2024, so the risk could be scarier than it is for Aidan Hutchinson.
Will the Lions pull the trigger on their best pass rusher?
